November 6, 2009 - A group of students from Shaker Junior High School found out what it would be like to be a member of the media, as they interviewed a group of exchange students from School 1158 in Moscow, Russia. The Russian exchange students came to North Colonie on October 24 and were staying with host families from Shaker High School.

“It’s a great opportunity for our eighth graders to get involved in this process (exchange program),” Foreign Language Supervisor, Galina Kats said. “In the past, the exchange program was limited to our high school students. But now, we are able to bring the experience to our junior high students.”

The American and Russian students were paired off as two American students interviewed two Russian students. The questions ranged from favorite subjects in school to favorite movies and music.

One of the more interesting questions that was posed was about the old Soviet Union, and how America was viewed during World War II and the Cold War. The Russian students used their knowledge of the history they have learned in school to help answer the question.