Student Has Shown The Spirit Of Exchange Through The Year

With the academic year coming to a close and students heading back home, we reflect back on the many bright young students we have had this year! This is no exception for this month’s Star Student of the Month – Demetrius from Brazil!

Nominated by his Community Representative, Donna Bell, Demetrius has had a stellar year and has matured and grown as a young global citizen. Below, Donna highlights a few reasons why Demetrius is our Star Student of the Month.

"I knew Demetrius was a very special person the first time I met him. As this past year has progressed along, I have seen this young boy grow into a very special young man. He has demonstrated what our program is all about: "relationships." He has been a model representative of Ayusa and I am so proud of him.

Demetrius started out his exchange experience last Spring being placed with a different family other than the Womacks. Demetrius demonstrated much maturity and trust in me after he knew I had placed him with a different family. As the year has gone along, Demetrius has expressed gratitude to me for placing him with the Womack's.

He has completely embraced his host family. From the beginning, he fondly called them "mom and dad". He became a true little brother of the three sisters of the Womack family. Darryl, the host dad, has really enjoyed having a son after raising three girls. He also became a fun-loving uncle to the Womack grandchildren. Their 19 month old granddaughter Callie fondly calls Demetrrius "Opah"

Demetrius has completely embraced his experience of becoming a true part of the church family at Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church. He uses his talents to play the electric guitar on Sunday mornings. I recently observed first-hand how much he is loved by the church members when I was invited to be speak briefly along with Demetrius at a church service. So many people told me how fond they are of him and why.

Demetrius has shown much success at East Hall High School. He became a member of the school wrestling team with no experience. He told me that this was the hardest thing he has ever done because of the discipline that it required. He thought about quitting but did not because he wanted to prove to himself he could do it. Although he finished the season with only one win, which was by forfeit, he has proven that he is not a quitter.

He has been very successful with his classes at school. Demetrius received four awards: the EHHS Viking Achievement Award, Math Award, Social Studies Award, and the EHHS Merit Award. Demetrius is the first Ayusa Exchange Student that the school has have had. It makes me very proud he has been such a positive ambassador for our Ayusa program.

Demetrius also made time to volunteer with the community. He helped a lady from the church to do clean-up work. He assisted with a 5k fundraiser for a girl that has leukemia to have a bone marrow transplant. He gained yard sale experience to benefit Relay For Life. He is also assisting his host sister Sabrina with her captain duties at her office.

I feel that Demetrius is an Ayusa Star Student that should make all of our Ayusa community very proud. He is a true example of our mission statement."

Congratulations Demetrius!

If you would like to nominate your student for Star Student of the Month, send your story along with pictures to news@ayusa.org!