Each year a foreign exchange student, sponsored by the American Field Service, attends Maine West. This year Maine is happy to welcome Maria del Carmen de la Torre of Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is 17, a senior, and a very friendly person. Her family in Ecuador consists of her parents and two sisters who, at present, are living in California. Her father is an auditor and her mother, who urged Maria to apply as an AFS student, does not work.

Maria first came to Miami, Florida, on August 4 and then went to New York for a short orientation period of four days. She arrived in Des Plaines on Friday, August 10, where she met her host family. Maria is staying with Karen Verlo '71, of 1025 Irwin Avenue, Des Plaines.

Arriving three weeks before school began gave Maria a chance to get acquainted with her new family and a few of the students attending Maine West. She met many of Karen's and Alan Verlo's '74 friends and other people through a Student Council sponsored banquet.

When asked her impressions of Maine West and the students and to make a comparison between Maine and her school of 1,000 students in Ecuador, Maria replied, "I really cannot say whether or not Maine West is a better school, because I have not been here long enough. But Maine West has advantage such as the counselors and also because of the selection of classes. In Ecuador, a child decides in the fourth grade what he will major in. From then on his schedule is planned for him. Also, in Ecuador, we have 14 classes a day all in one classroom. I know very few of the students here, but the ones I have met are very friendly and willing to help. I wish to express my gratitude to all my teachers for being so understanding and helpful."

The purpose of AFS is to better our relationship between this country and other countries. AFS tries to learn more about countries and increase understanding of different peoples around the world.

The sponsors of the AFS program are Mr. Randall Rayborn and Mr. Harvey Kelber.