STEP SUMMER 2012 is COMING!!! Are you in?

HOLA, STEP amigos!!!!!! Last summer we all helped towards the creation of world peace. Many of you, open your hearts and home to lovely teenagers from Bilbao, Spain.  We learned about their culture, made new friends and had so much fun. We have 25 teenagers ready to come to the Capital District from June 29th to July 25. 26 days packed with activities such as
  July 1-Welcome Party
  July5-Howe Caverns
  July 10 Niagara Falls
  July 12 Six Flags-Lake George
  July 17-Boston 
  July 19 NY Buzz Pro Tennis Match
  July 22 Farewell Party
  July 24 NYC Overnight
  July 25 NYC/Departure to Spain
Many of you have already expressed interest in hosting this summer. I need to hear from you in terms of the gender and age of the Spanish teen you would welcome into your home and family in July.  Reminder: There will only be 25 students to choose from and we will do matches on a first come first served basis. SO, come on, let me hear from you soon.  Peace, Maria S. Pacheco

Snow day....what did you do today?

I spent the day digging myself out!!! Removing the snow from my driveway was a nice workout. The afternoon I went to visit Alba, an exchange student from Spain. She lives in Delanson, where my car got stuck in the snow! Here is a picture of Olatz, Alba, Alvaro, Itxaso, Kyliene and Hannah. A picture speaks a thousand words: WORLD PEACE, one cultural exchange at a time.

How would you help create world peace in 2012?

I create world peace by helping students from around the world come to the USA to share their culture with us! Look what I did on Valentine's day. I got a call from one of the exchange students from Spain, Alvaro. He and three other exchange students (Olatz, Itxaso and Alba) wanted to celebrate Valentine's day with me. They invited me to dinner. It was so sweet, indeed. These four students are from the Basque region in the north of Spain. They will be here until June. In July, many of their friends from the same region will come to the Capital Distrit for 25 days. I enjoy so much spending time with the exchange students and looking at the USA through their eyes. Creating world peace is my hobby. My goal is to have each exchange student develop a positive impresion of our country and share that impression with their friends back home. World Peace, one child at a time. How would you help create world peace in 2012?