WALLINGFORD — Francesca Pons, a Sheehan High School senior, must return to her home country of Ecuador this week due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Pons, 18, is the only exchange student in the Wallingford school district.
“We’re heartbroken that this decision was made too abruptly and that we have very little time to say our goodbyes,” said Teresia O’Hala, a retired Wallingford special education teacher who hosted Pons along with her daughter, Katelyn Ballough.
O’Hala hosted Pons’ mother, Alice Guarderas, during the 1996-97 school year.
Pons arrived in the United States in August, visiting through the student exchange program Terra Lingua USA.
She's from Cumbayá, a parish in the Tumbaco Valley outside Ecuador's capital, Quito.
Pons and her host family found out Friday that she has to leave the United States on a humanitarian flight back to Ecuador scheduled for Wednesday. The
Ecuadorian Consulate recommended she leave due to limited service at the Quito airport.
Originally, Pons would have been here until July 8.
Even though she’s sad her year abroad has been cut short, Pons said she’s excited to see her parents and siblings again.
Her teachers and friends visited O’Hala’s home Sunday to bid her farewell.
“With all of this happening, it’s nice being able to actually say goodbye to everyone,” Pons said.
During her time at Sheehan, Pons was an honor roll student, managed the boys hockey and girls soccer teams, and taught flamenco dancing at the Main Street Wellness Studio.
Pons already had graduated from high school in Ecuador, so the shortened school year at Sheehan won’t affect her academically. She said she’s been accepted to college at USFQ in Quito.
Sheehan Principal Enzo Zocco said Monday that Pons made the most of her time in Wallingford, jumping into her education and high school culture right from the beginning.
“Francesca was a great addition to our school,” Zocco said. “We appreciated having her as an active member of the Sheehan community and wish her the best of luck in a very bright future ahead.”
LTakores@record-journal.com203-317-2212Twitter: @LCTakores
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