KokomoSchool Corporation

Creating a Better World Through Education

Iliana Mehmeli, Albania, Kokomo High School

“I came to the United States looking for better opportunities. I hope to attend university here in America, and I wanted a year to prepare for that. Kokomo High School has been great. I am excited all of the time here because I have so many chances to focus on things I am passionate about. I have joined Student Council, the Art Club, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and the Future Business Leaders of America. I’m making American friends and learning the American culture. I also like living in the dorm, which is near so many things, like the YMCA fitness center. We receive passes to use the YMCA for free.”

“I am really glad to be at Kokomo High School. I wanted to study abroad, and I felt the United States was a good choice because it is the world economic leader, and students have freedom here. Now that I’m in Kokomo, I have felt these things to be true. I really like it here in America. The people in Kokomo are very kind… and funny. Kokomo Schools provides many opportunities for its International students. We recently toured the Purdue University campus. I also enjoy being on the soccer team, and I love traveling to away matches with the team. I have developed friendships with my soccer teammates during our bus rides to other cities.”

Julia Aleixo, Brazil, Kokomo High School

“Being away from my family is hard, but my experience in Kokomo has been amazing. I’m loving it here. Kokomo High School has so many opportunities for the arts, music, clubs, and activities. We don’t have these opportunities at my school in Brazil. I decided to take a Culinary Arts class at the Kokomo Area Career Center because I like cooking. It is the best decision I could have made because I have realized what I want to do after I graduate. I hope to study at a culinary school in the United States. In my Culinary Arts class, we are going to make food for the high school’s International Festival. We are learning about French cuisine now. Then I will teach my classmates how to cook several Brazilian dishes for the festival. I have fallen in love with this class.”

“Everything at Kokomo High School is good. I can’t choose a favorite class because I like all of my classes. The teachers really help you figure out how things work and make sure you understand. I am taking an Architectural Drafting & Design class that I think will help prepare me for university. I want to become an architect. This class gives me a foundation of knowledge, and teaches me about the software used in architecture. I like that I have so many choices at Kokomo High School.”

“I found my experience at Kokomo High School to be very beneficial. I loved the people in Kokomo. KHS had a very diverse student population, and I met so many talented peers at KHS, as well as peers from around the world. All of them helped me grow. During my junior year at KHS, I took Introduction to Engineering Design (Project Lead the Way), which was a class I could not take in China, but that class has helped me at Johns Hopkins University. My senior year at Kokomo High School I took four Advanced Placement courses, as well as the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities class, which was one of the best decisions I made while in Kokomo. That hands-on entrepreneurship course fit into my natural curiosity about the world.”

“Kokomo High School is a great place. The classes are intimate, and teachers offer more personal attention. At KHS, I met so many people from different backgrounds, and developed lasting friendships by performing with the Kokomo Dance Team. I love the kind people in Kokomo, especially my host parents, who helped me improve my English, and experience the American culture. I saw my first professional baseball game when my host family took me to Chicago to see the Cubs play. My year in Kokomo was amazing. The people in Kokomo became like family to me.”

“I had a great experience at Kokomo High School, which offered so many extracurricular and athletic opportunities. I was a member of National Honor Society and Boys’ Legion. I competed in the National Debate Tournament, and I was a member of the football team. I liked my classes at KHS, too, because we had interesting discussions with our teachers and peers. I took five AP classes my senior year at Kokomo High School, which I believe have helped me at Northeastern University, where I’m studying finance.”

“I had chills when I stepped into Kokomo High School for the first time. I loved it there. The teachers really care about you, and Kokomo students have so many opportunities. I took five Advanced Placement (AP) classes my senior year. When I signed up for classes, I thought ‘Wow. Kokomo High School has 24 Advanced Placement classes? How do I choose which ones to take?’ KHS made me fall in love with the American culture. With the help of counselors and staff at KHS, I fulfilled my dream of attending college in the United States.”

“Studying at Kokomo High School was interesting. I loved the practical experience offered through courses at the Kokomo Area Career Center. The sports & entertainment marketing course I took really paved the way for my future… studying festivals and event management at college in Scotland. The KACC marketing course was a perfect fit for me. I also took the International Baccalaureate (IB) art class, which was so much fun. We were free to create art through many mediums. I loved it. I also enjoyed living in the dorms, where many cultures are represented."