As an exchange student experiencing America for the first time, I feel very lucky that I came to Ragland.
What first hit me was how nice everybody in this community was and how the community worked as one big family. I got welcomed with open arms and felt like one of them from day one.
I want to thank all the coaches for letting me play sports. Special thanks to Brian Mintz, head coach for the football team and Rodney Lipscomb, Head Coach for the baseball team. I want to thank Principal Roger Wilkinson and all my friends at Ragland High School that has been a part of my year. These people are really amazing and are people I will never forget.
My biggest thanks goes to my host family, with special thanks to Sidney and Vickie Phillips, which took me in their home and treated me like one of them. My year became way easier because of my supportive, helpful, and fun family.
I really appreciate everybody in this town and thanks to everybody that made my trip down here an amazing experience that I will always remember.
— Sondre Torp, “The Norwegian Flash”
