Marcus Paes, 1975 Manning graduate, is shown with his daughter Kelly, a 2002 Manning graduate.

Former Manning exchange student returns to see daughter graduate.
Graduation exercises at Manning High School held special meaning this year for Marcus Paes of Brazil. Paes, an exchange student who graduated from Manning in 1975, unexpectedly arrived in time to surprise his daughter, Kelly, and watch as she graduated from the same school.

Paes stated, "Coming back to Manning is always wonderful to me because the experience I had here as an exchange student really changed my life. It was wonderful to come back on such a special occasion to see my daughter graduate from the same school as I did 27 years ago. I am sure these experiences here will open a lot of doors for her as it did for me on a professional level and on a personal level."

He continued, "To have friends here in the United States and all over the world made me a more world-minded person. I think the best experience that could happen for a teenager would be to become an exchange student. The experience is very good because of language, but the most important thing is to get to know another culture, to be with people from different nationalities."

Paes is grateful to the Manning Rotary Club, to Bob and Janice Vonnahme, Karl and Donna Rutz, and the Manning community for the generous hospitality shown to Kelly.

He said, "I hope that we can have more teenagers from Manning come to Brazil, too. If not for a long-time program, for a vacation program. It would be a good pleasure for me and for my family and my Rotary Club in Brazil."

E-mail Marcus @ paesms@hotmail.com