Tomas Canals, left, a Parkway Central High School exchange student from Barcelona, eats breakfast with his host sister, Sabrina Rutherford on Friday, March 5, 2021, before they catch a school bus to school together. The wall of the Rutherford’s dining room is filled with portraits of the many previous international exchange students they’ve hosted over the years. Photo by Christian Gooden, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals walks among his teammates between innings of P.E. kickball in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals, right, chats with teammate Evan Weidner while walking to the parking lot after tennis practice in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals, second from right, jogs in from the outfield between innings of P.E. kickball in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals kicks the ball for a run during P.E. kickball in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals, right, catches the ball as his opponent runs past the base during P.E. kickball in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals eats a picnic in the park with his host family, the Rutherfords, at Faust Park in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Canals is the 19th exchange student to live with the Rutherfords. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals, right, celebrates a good play with a kickball teammate during P.E. in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Unlike previous years, Canals is the only exchange student in any of the Parkway schools this year and has had to deal with virtual schooling and attending during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Parkway Central High School foreign exchange student Tomas Canals, second from left, eats a picnic in the park with his host family, the Rutherfords, at Faust Park in Chesterfield on March 5, 2021. Canals is the 19th exchange student to live with the Rutherfords. Photo by Sara Diggins, [email protected]
Tomas Canals, a Parkway Central High School exchange student from Barcelona, secures his back pack on Friday, March 5, 2021, in his Chesterfield bedroom before catching a school bus to school with his host sister. Photo by Christian Gooden, [email protected]
Tomas Canals, right, a Parkway Central exchange student from Barcelona, leaves his Chesterfield home on Friday, March 5, 2021, with his host sister, Sabrina Rutherford to board a school bus. Canals spent his previous high school years commuting via subway train in an urban neighborhood. The Rutherfords have hosted students from multiple countries over the years. Photo by Christian Gooden, [email protected]
Tomas Canals, left, a Parkway Central exchange student from Barcelona, board a school bus on Friday, March 5, 2021, with his host sister, Sabrina Rutherford from their Chesterfield home. Canals spent his previous high school years commuting via subway train in an urban neighborhoodThe Rutherfords have hosted students from multiple countries over the years. Photo by Christian Gooden, [email protected]
CHESTERFIELD — Tomás Canals was coming to America, and not even a global pandemic could stop him.
Canals, of Spain, is believed to be the only foreign exchange student who traveled to St. Louis County last fall to spend the school year with a host family. Student exchange programs shut down as the coronavirus flared and American schools moved to virtual learning.
Most of the thousands of international students planning to come to the U.S. deferred to the 2021-2022 school year, but Canals turned 18 in October and would not have another chance at a high school exchange year. He moved in with the Rutherford family in Chesterfield on Sept. 1 and enrolled in online classes at Parkway Central High School.
“It’s an experience that everyone should live,” Canals said. “I didn’t consider staying in Barcelona. I need to live this.”
Spain was among the countries hardest hit in the pandemic. Canals’ grandmother and grandfather died of COVID-19 within days of each other last March. His father, who was an exchange student in California, and his sister, who studied in Arkansas, inspired him to make the trip. They had to wait months for the U.S. embassy to reopen and issue Canals a J-1 student visa, which allows for a 10-month stay for international students ages 15 to 18.
Canals is the 19th foreign exchange student the Rutherford family has hosted. Stephen and Kumiko Rutherford have four children, including three who attend Parkway Central with Canals.