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Image by Elena Mozhvilo

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLANDERS 

Beginning in 1960, Helix families, clubs, and community organizations hosted students from around the world. There is no “official” record kept but researching through Flings and Tartans we’ve done our best to rediscover them.

 

The American Field Service (AFS) club first appears in the 1961 Tartan with this Mission Statement:

“There are two main purposes of the American Field Service Club. One is to promote international understandings and good will through the exchange of students. The other is to gain a greater  knowledge of language, customs, and culture of countries  throughout the world.”

The club raised money to finance the students' stay in the USA.

The following list is just the beginning of our research. We’ve  included the names of Helix students who participated in  exchange programs when we found them. These were often  short term over-the-summer visits.

If you have information, additions, corrections, or are still in  contact with our foreign exchange students, please contact  us! We’d love to add updated pictures and memories. Please submit information to helixalumni@yahoo.com

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

1961

Dietmar Schudlich- Hanover, Germany

Host family: Larry Woodward

*Dietmar was sponsored by many of the clubs on campus.

Helix Students traveling abroad:

Vicki Ritter

Gay Toman

1962

Bjorn Sata- Vaga, Norway

Host family: E.B. Neil

Catherine Masakwe- Nairobi,Kenya

Host family: John Stroessler

1963

Hanne Jensen- Copenhagen, Denmark

Host family: Beckie Davidson

 

Helix Students traveling abroad:

Sharon Traversi

Joe Kinsella 

Karen Moe 

Evelyn Fairburn 

Ginger Fitzsimmons 

1964

Molly Tan- Malaya

Host family: Sandy Birch 

Carlos Gonzales- Spain 

Host family: Hotts 

1965

Aladin Mohammed Wahba 

Host family: Steve Anderson 

 

Helix Student traveling abroad:

Ellen D’Amico- Turkey 

1966

Inger Lageby- Sweden 

Host family: Cathy Edgar 

 

Helix Student traveling abroad:

Greg Mellon- Holland 

1967

Elaine Webster- Barbados 

Host family: Margaret Perry 

Babett Freiberger- Germany 

Host family: Becky Perry 

1968

Sibylle Oehler- Switzerland 

Host family: Debbie Reyburn ? 

Albert Kerschbaum- Austria 

Herdis “Heddy” Tryggvason- Iceland 

 

Helix students traveling abroad:

Merideth Perry- Holland

Mark Morini- Chile

1969

Joelle Gaultier- France 

Chris Sund- Germany 

1970

Enrico Georgio- Ethiopia 

Host family: Rev & Mrs. Wayne Eurich 

Margaret Shattoc- New Zealand 

Host family: Sue Leeds 

Gunhild Espelage- Germany 

Host family: Jill Kuykendall 

 

Helix students traveling abroad: University of Guadalajara

Anna Tyler 

Carol Allred 

Chris Hall 

Rick Souza 

Robert Edgar 

1971

Carmen Carpanedo- Brazil

Host family: Sue Kost

George Brittain- Panama

Michelle Jeffrey- France

Kamiar Simantoz- Iran

 

Helix student traveling abroad:

Frances Thunberg- Miraflores, Peru (and she's still in close contact with them after 50 years!)

1972

The" Operation Amigo" program was launched in November, sponsored by the newspaper and school district. Twenty-four teenagers from Leon, Mexico were the guests of Helix students for 2 weeks. Activities included trips to the zoo and Mt. Palomar, watching the Mother Goose Parade, and Disneyland! (No AFS were listed in the Tartan or Fling)

1973

Helga Kober- Austria

Host family: Mr &Mrs Ehlers 

Alex Penninch- Belgium 

Host family: Sharon and Cynthia Katan 

Corinne Kaplan- France 

Host family: Dorothy Duke

1974

Klas Astrand- Sweden

Consuelo Gabela- Ecuador

Claudia Hahn- Germany 

Eva Isendor- Sweden 

Babs Schroeter- Germany 

R. Tozzi- Brazil 

Helix student traveling abroad:

Kristal Smith- Turkey

1975

Paul Wegner- Koblenz, Germany

Soso Joubeh Masjed- Solaman, Iran

Carlos Lisboa- Angola, Africa

 

Helix students traveling abroad:

Debbie Schmidt- W Germany

Kolleen Kent- Panama

Leslie Bixel- USA

Teri Janson- Holland

Kathy Cunningham- Spain

1976

Chusri Valaisathien- Bangkok, Thailand 

Host family: Suzanne Muse 

Dawn Jordon- Barbados 

Host family: Debby Abernathie

Neldo Sepulveda- Santiago, Chile 

Host family: Betty Medeires

Sergio Prado- Sau Paulo, Brazil 

Host family: Mark Catlin 

1977

Marie Larsen- Gothenburg, Sweden

Alberto Gonzalez- Mexico City, Mexico

Inge Strubing- Asuncion, Paraguay

Anders Bohm- Malmo, Sweden

Myran Spiero- Nacka, Sweden  

Louisa Ayivorh- Kumasi, Ghana 

1978

Armondo Rigel- Acapulco, Mexico 

Ina Colberg- Flensburg, W Germany 

Host family: Steve Whitcomb 

Hector Barria- Panama City, Panama 

Host family: Jeff Joliff 

Jose Ribeiro- Brazil 

 

Helix students traveling abroad:

John Kinsella- Orance Free State, S Africa 

Jack Newberry- Sundsvall, Sweden 

1979

Alessandra Orecchioni- Ancona, Italy 

Host family: Petersons

Maja Raznatovich- Belgrade, Yugoslavia 

Hosts: Joneses 

1980

Edie Max Ettlebruck- Luxenburg 

Hosts: Laurie Kicklighter 

Martti Wallasvaara- Turku, Finland 

Hosts: Mr and Mrs Walton

Helen Marcastrom- Uppsalla, Sweden 

Hosts: Linda and Jeff Nye 

Joao “John” Leite- Lisbon, Portugal 

Hosts: Craig Cargile 

 

Helix Student traveling abroad: 

Jenny Bock- Vienna, Austria 

1981

Peter Diry- Vienna, Austria 

Hosts: Bauer family 

Osman Onder Balci- Ankara, Turkey 

Hosts: Trent family 

Xavier Catelas - Tures, France 

Hosts: Mr and Mrs Walton

Pedro Lopez- Asunceon, Paraguay 

Hosts: Durett family

1982

Katja Bender- Germany 

Host family: Liane Lindsey 

Sonia Lenk- Quito, Ecuador 

Hosts: Mucha family 

Torben Hyldgaard- Denmark- he is currently deep sea fishing in the Northern Atlantic  

Hosts: Jay Igney 

Jens Jensen- Denmark 

Hosts: Martin family 

Amr Ebrahim- Cairo, Egypt 

Hosts: Swaney family (They did not have students at Helix)

Rainer Colberg- Germany 

Hosts: Witcomb family  

Shigiki Murde- Japan 

Hosts: Fitz Kuchuck 

Tiziana Lombardo- Gurin, Italy 

Hosts: Bras family

Alex Ramel- France 

Hosts: Norris family 

Olli Kariniemi- Helsinki, Finland

Hosts: Martin family

1984

Anne Cramer- Hanover, Germany 

The Cramer family was here on a teacher exchange. Mr.  Cramer taught at SDSU for a year.

1985

NO INFORMATION FOUND IN TARTAN OR FLINGS

1986

Ursula Von Niederhausen- Switzerland

Klaus Schrod- West Germany               

Paul Gazzard- Mt. Gambier, Australia  

Anu Voltti- Finland 

Ayako Nozawa- Nagoya, Japan    

Hiroyuki Maeda- Nagasaki, Japan

Silene Boehner- Sao Paulo, Brazil 

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