With their American-style clothing, excitement over the prom and love of the Cheesecake Factory, it's hard to figure out what's unique about the five newest students at Franklin Regional High School.

The difference is that most students would take those things for granted, but they are experiencing them for the first time.

For the next five weeks, five Ecuadorian students will become members of the Franklin Regional community and see what life is like at an American high school.

Since their arrival last week, they've taken in Seven Springs, The Cheesecake Factory and the Maple Festival in Myerstown.

The students also have been impressed with what they've seen at Franklin Regional.

"It's much bigger," says Karina Medranda Garcia. "There's more organization."

The exchange students, who are between the ages of 15 and 17, were selected because they were at the top of their classes at their Ecuadorian schools, says chaperone Mario Penafiel Zamerano.

Luis Ayala Muzo was chosen partly because of the role he can serve.

"I'm the only kid in my high school who speaks English," Muzo says.

That skill has served Muzo well. He has acted as a translator for the other exchange students.

Debra Wills, a Spanish teacher at the high school, helped bring the exchange students to the district.

The program is coordinated through the state's department of education. Educators from Ecuador approached the state to create a "sister schools" program in 2005.

The next year, three schools were chosen to pilot the program.

Glendale High School and Kennard-Dale High School also are hosting students this year.

"They were looking at schools that offer Vo-Tech and some programs that kids could get involved in that would be helpful when they go back," Wills says.

Murrysville met that criteria. The nearby rural areas also made it appealing for the Ecuadorian organizers.

Zamerano says since the program began, the students who have visited Pennsylvania have given America good reviews.

"There was a group who came last year," Zamerano says. "Everyone was so happy and content. There's a lot to learn here they don't see in our country."

That goes beyond the classroom.

On April 25, they will attend the prom at Syria Mosque. Muzo will accompany one of them and two of the male hosts and another student will take the others.

Wills says the parent-teacher organization and the National Honors Society have helped welcome the students. The groups are putting money toward lunches for the students and helping them pay for some of the necessary items for the prom.

Wills says she hopes both sides of the program see an educational benefit.

"They are making an effort to talk to the kids in Spanish," she says.

Wills says the Spanish skills of the host students have improved, which has been helpful at home. She says parents sometimes rely on their children to understand their Ecuadorian guests.

"Their son or daughter is able to get the point across," Wills says.

The host students have enjoyed showing their guests American culture.

"It's been fun, it's a good experience," says Alex Mitchell.

Meredith Wilmer agrees that hosting has helped her Spanish.

"You dream in Spanish," she says. "I know so many other words."