Bloom Hamner

ASSIST Students Say Thank You To Christ School


Kilian Mittermeier
Kilian Mittermeier ’21 gives speech in St. Joseph's Chapel

Kilian Mittermeier '21 and Teo Beleuta '20 knew the clock was ticking from the moment they arrived at Christ School in August.

Both international students are limited to only one year as Greenies through the ASSIST exchange program.

In the months that have passed, Kilian (who hails from Germany) and Teo (Moldova) "have woven themselves seamlessly into the fabric of our community," World Languages Chair Vanessa Thorman said Thursday. "Everyone here has made a permanent mark on their lives."

Kilian and Teo confirmed as much with the gracious tone of their speeches Thursday in Chapel, thanking not only their classmates and faculty, but Greenie families who have opened their homes to the boys over breaks in the 2018-19 academic calendar.

"The things I've seen and done here have impacted me in profound ways," Teo said. "Christ School has given me so many opportunities. It is still unimaginable to me how a school can offer so many possibilities. The school has challenged me in ways I never could have thought. Attending college in the United States is now a big option for me."

ASSIST is a non-profit organization which matches academically-talented, multi-lingual students with independent schools across the country. It has existed for 50 years and Christ School has hosted ASSIST students for three decades.

Teo is the first student from Moldova to attend Christ School. He said that his introduction to kayaking, the Ski and Snowboard program, and JV lacrosse were three extracurricular activities that stood out to him. Kilian was accustomed to longer classes back in Germany and no real connection between students and teachers. He found the complete opposite at Christ School.

"The nine and a half months I have been here have passed so quickly," Kilian said. "It will be incredibly hard to say goodbye to all the friends I've made. I could not be happier with Christ School."