After hosting six foreign exchange students last school year, Fennimore High School is welcoming four for the 2026-27 school year: Claire Bedart and Celine Van Steen from Belgium, Eleonora Nieddu from Italy, and Elise Wedegaertner from Germany.

After over a month arriving in the states, and with their third week of attending American high school about finished, the girls gave introductions and descriptions of their brief time attending Fennimore High School and living in the area.

Claire Bedart

Claire is a senior from Belgium and is staying with Ryan and Emily Kamps. When asked why she wanted to be a foreign exchange student, Claire stated, “I had friends who did it and they told me it was the best experience of their life.”

Wanting to be fluent in English was also a factor is Claire’s decision to be an exchange student as she plans to study international business after high school.

School is “very different here,” according to Claire. “We have more breaks (in Belgium) but we also finish school later than here.”

She went on to say that Fennimore offers more sports than her school back in Belgium. Claire is currently on the cross country team.

Claire said she and the Kamps have some travel plans during her time here including St. Louis, Chicago, Texas, and the Mall of America in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

“I just want to do as much as possible and do the typical things from here,” Claire explained while also mentioning she really wants to try Crumbl Cookies.

Celine Van Steen

Like Claire, Celine is also a senior from Belgium. Celine is staying with Joshua and Emily Crubel.

“I chose to be an exchange student because I want to speak English fluently, to gain autonomy, and get out of my comfort zone,” Celine explained.

“School in general is different, and sports are more important,” Celine went on to say. “The food and culture is different, but people are more friendly.”

Celine stated she would like to travel beyond the Fennimore area and discovered more of the United States while here.

She plans on trying track and field in the spring along with trying new things not available in Belgium.

After high school, Celine plans to attend college and become a lawyer.

Elenora Nieddu

Eleonora is also a senior this year, but from Italy, staying with Andrew and Kristina Meserole.

“I chose to be an exchange student to improve my English and to learn more about the American culture,” Elenora stated. “I want to challenge myself with a new language, culture, and gain clear ideas as regards to my future.”

Like Claire and Celine stated, the food is different along with “everything regarding school,” including times, lunch, classes, and subjects.

Like her fellow exchange students, Eleonora has also noticed the importance on high school sports here in America as a member of the cross country team.

“People’s personalities are different as well, more people smile here,” she explained.

Eleonora does have a trip to Chicago planned for next month with Nacel Open House, a non-profit high school student exchange organization that places international students with volunteer host families in the United States, and offers support during their time here, and “hopefully one trip with my host family.”

After high school, Eleonora would like to go on to university and someday work in the medical field.

Elise Wedegaertner

Elise is the only non-senior exchange student this year, as she is a junior from Germany. But like Claire, she is also staying with the Kamps family.

When asked why she chose to be a foreign exchange student, Elise stated, “The first time I thought about doing an exchange year was when my mother told me she had done one, and my dad had been here (United States) too for some time. But I chose to do the exchange year to experience the real life in America, get to know new people, and make new experiences.”

When asked about differences between here and her home country, Elise replied, “First, everything seems wider and bigger than in Germany. Also, what a normal school day looks like is very different. We don’t have the same subjects every day, and our hobbies start in the evening.”

Elise will also be accompanying Claire and the Kamps to St. Louis, Chicago, Texas, and the Mall of America. “In general, I just want to do as much as possible, make lots of memories,” she explained.

After high school, Elise would like to continue traveling and going to new places, but she is also thinking about studying medicine.