Through a generous donation by De Soto member Dr. Art Engelhard, we maintain an annual student exchange program with Barcarrota, Spain (Bradenton’s Sister City). The members of the Hernando de Soto Historical Society maintain close ties with Bradenton’s Sister City – Barcarrota, Spain. For almost four decades, delegates from Barcarrota have traveled to Bradenton each year to take part in the annual Festival, and vice versa. Each year, a Bradenton resident is selected to journey to Spain for the summer (usually about 10 weeks). This individual becomes immersed in the Spanish culture and comes back home with a new appreciation of our cities’ relationship. Later in the year, a Barcarrota student travels to Bradenton to learn about our culture here in America. Former Ambassador, Trey Horne, wrote on his blog, “I have never felt so at home while being more than 4,000 miles away from home. I truly believe that every member of the Hernando de Soto Historical Society should make the trip to Barcarrota once, I know it won’t be their first and last visit to Barcarrota because the people of Barcarrota are absolutely amazing!”