Val Reyes:
CLASS OF 1969
St. James High SchoolClass of 1969
Ferndale, MI
Val's Story
I was an exchange student from the Philippines under the Youth for Understanding program in 1969. I attended St. James High School in Ferndale from September to June of that year and was in the 4th year class. My host family was that of the late Thomas and Eleanor McCarthy in their home on Wildemere Street just off 8-mile road. I had 8 foster brothers and sisters, one of whom, Mark, also attended St. James and graduated from high school there. I remember that there was a Filipino priest who was assigned in St. James church named Fr. Jimenez.
I returned to the Philippines right after the school term closed and have not been back in Detroit since then. I have managed ...Expand for more
to keep in touch with the McCarthy family through Facebook and was glad to know that Mark continues to live in Michigan.
I have fond memories of my one year stay in Detroit and going to school at St. James. It's hard to believe that the years have passed - I am now a senior citizen with a family of 4 grown-up children, including a medical doctor. One of my sons is currently a Vice-president in Morgan Stanley based in NYC. I am now working as the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality director of the Light Rail Manila Corporation, which provides mass rail transit transport services in the Metro Manila area. Retirement will probably come in a couple of more years.
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