OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Two metro-area schools, Schlagel and Blue Valley Northwest, had an unusual student exchange this week.

KMBC's Bev Chapman reported that not only did the students swap classes, they learned about stereotypes and about themselves.

The two schools are about 40 minutes apart. The exchange was just one day, but the 16 students who took part said it made a lasting impression.

"Having white be the minority, where I'm so used to being the majority," Blue Valley Northwest student Angelo Gonzales said.

"I thought it was the experience of a lifetime to see the different perspectives. We thought they were stuck up and snotty, and really they're no different than us," Schlagel student Arianna Pacheco said.

"It was cool to see that everyone has the same problems. They deal with boyfriends, girlfriends, gossip -- it's very similar to our school," Blue Valley student Michelle Turner said.

"They learn a lot more than we do here, and that really makes me mad," Schlagel student Rowan Byers said.

"The teachers here really don't push these kids very hard," Gonzales said.

"Going to different schools helped make everybody appreciate their schools more," Schlagel student Ashley William said.

Teachers who organized the swap encouraged students to use what they learned to move forward.

"I'm gonna take some initiative to be better than what I see and do on a daily basis," journalism teacher Keith Jones said.

Teachers hope to do the student exchange again next year.

Read more about the exchange at www.my.hsj.org/KS/KANSASCITY/FLS/.