Eighteen Middle School students will put the lessons they are learning in the classroom to use during a two-week exchange program in Madrid, Spain.

The unique, cultural opportunity for the eighth-grade student ambassadors, who left last Friday, will offer some real-world experiences when they are fully immersed in using their Spanish speaking abilities, by far the most significant part of developing their language skills.

The program, celebrating its 35th year, was the brainchild of foreign language teacher Barbara Gaias, who retired from Prodell in 2014.

During their cultural adventure, students will stay with host families and visit museums, parks, plazas and other well-known landmarks in Spain’s capital city. Four SWR parent chaperones are also on the trip, including the exchange program coordinator Marc Dinowitz, whose daughter Katie is among the students excited to take part in the experience.

In April, students from Madrid will arrive in Shoreham-Wading River, where they will be introduced to the close-knit community and other parts of Long Island and New York City.