INDIAN STUDENTS VISIT SANTA CLARITA ON CULTURAL EXCHANGE.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- Sixteen high school students from India are visiting Santa Clarita for three weeks, learning about pop culture and sharing their customs with their young hosts.

A week after their arrival, the visitors have been busy touring some hot spots, but they said Friday they plan to take home more than just souvenirs.

``We want to make people understand what being a global citizen means, to be able to understand different communities, cultures, races, creeds and colors,'' said Capt. A.J. Singh, the children's chaperone and headmaster of Pinegrove, their private school in India.

The exchange, which is cultural, not academic, was organized by the Cultural Bridges program.

Dave Le Barron, a founding member of the program created in 2003 under the wing of the Santa Clarita Valley International Program, hopes these kids, as well as their American brothers and sisters, get a lesson in world cultures.

``Host families have their own kids interacting with these children from India, and they are learning about this country through them,'' Le Barron said.

Universal Studios gave many of the young travelers their first up-close glance at American pop culture.

While fascinated with the roller coasters, it was a trip to Alemany High School in the San Fernando Valley that gave the visitors a chance to look at some of the similarities and differences between eastern and western views on education.

In an organized discussion, the students talked about common education issues including health education, sex education and classroom behavior.

``Classrooms in India are more formal; here, it's casual,'' said 16-year-old Pragya Yog.

Yog, who hopes to return to the United States to study medicine, also said she feels that most of the young Americans were not as appreciative of their education.

Caitlyn Huss, a Golden Valley high sophomore who attended the discussion, agreed and said her time with the Indian teens helped her understand how she and her friends don't appreciate how grateful they should be.

``I realized how many students, especially in public school, don't put out any effort in school,'' Huss said.

Also a host sister, Huss said she is learning many customs from her Indian guest.

``My host sister explained to me how important it is for sisters to help each other in Indian culture,'' Huss said. ``Siblings here fight. That is something I want to change.''

An expensive trip for most -- the three-week trip cost about $2,500 for each -- most of the Indian kids are simply trying to savor every minute of this life-changing experience.

Rudra Mishra, 16, earned a scholarship to cover the costs of the overseas trip.

``All of the days will be equally good,'' Mishra said. ``I just hope to take back many friends that I can visit later.''

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6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Two Indian students walk past a mural at Santa Clarita City Hall in Valencia on Friday morning. They are part of a group of Indian students visiting Santa Clarita in a cultural exchange program and visited City Hall as part of their tour of the valley.

(3 -- 4) Cultural exchange students, above, including 14-year-old Sidakvir Singh, second from left, from Punjab, India, listen to speakers at Santa Clarita City Hall. Below, Kanishka Meel, 12, of the Rajasthan, India, holds the mayor's gavel.

(5) Cultural exchange students from India, right, walk through Santa Clarita City Hall in Valencia on Friday morning.

(6) Councilwoman Laurene Weste speaks to exchange students from India at Santa Clarita City Hall in Valencia on Friday.

Alex Collins/Special to the Daily News