Students describe Kent City–Kelloggsville swap; board recognizes staff and student responders

Nick Patin and three Kelloggsville High School students — Emily Ojeda, Mario Garcia and Andrea Ronzon — presented the board with highlights from an 18‑student exchange program with Kent City High School.

Patin and the students said participants became engaged quickly and many formed friendships, reporting gains in cultural awareness and appreciation for differences in staff–student interactions. They also told the board the program felt rushed in parts and that some students experienced cultural insensitivity and microaggressions during the exchange; the presenters described these as downsides alongside the overall benefits.

Assistant Superintendent Eric Alcorn and the board recognized several employees for Rocket Recognition; the minutes list support staff Joshua Barnes, elementary teacher Austin Jackson and secondary teacher Carlos Amoros‑Gutierrez as recipients. The board noted each recipient would receive a $100 Amazon gift card and a certificate of recognition.

Superintendent Jim Alston also praised three students — Ngoc Dinh, Martha Emmanuel Morogo and Genesis Lizardo Reyes — who assisted a visiting athlete who collapsed during a tennis match. Alston told the board the students provided prompt, effective aid until the trainer arrived and the athlete recovered.

Board members then offered brief remarks praising the student presenters and recognition awardees and encouraged administration to consider the students’ takeaways for future programming.