SLIPPERY ROCK — The best student in Jeff Griggs' Accelerated American Civics class is not American.

He is Dmitriy Makarov, 16, a Russian student attending Slippery Rock High School this year.

Makarov is not an average foreign exchange student; he is part of a U.S. State Department program created to promote democracy in the Russian states.

The 16-year-old, who arrived in the United States in August, must learn enough information to take home with him and keep his grade-point average up during his visit. It's now 3.5.

"I find it surprising he is one of the top students in the class on American government," said Griggs. "It is embarrassing."

The class is at the college preparatory level and includes the top students in the high school.

Makarov is not the first student in the state department program to attend Slippery Rock High School, Griggs said. He's had two or three others, but said Makarov is definitely exceptional.

Participants are treated to a trip to Washington, D.C., at some point during the year, where they may even get to meet the president, depending on his schedule, Griggs said.

"I'm amazed at his perspective of communism," said Griggs. Usually Makarov doesn't even want to discuss the concept.

"He says, 'That's the past,' or 'That's behind us,'" according to Griggs.

He is part of the first generation to grow up since the collapse of the Soviet Union, according to Griggs. Makarov said one of his goals is breaking down stereotypes.

"People are surprised I can drink beer with my father," he said. "But they think we're just big stereotypes. Russians get trashed every day."

Instead, it's just like in America — there are people in Russia who like to drink and those who don't, he said.

When people ask him if he's a communist, he gets offended. He's never even experienced communism as a Russian, he said.

"People ask, 'Are you drinking?' and 'Is it cold?'" said Makarov. "I'm trying to ruin this (pattern of stereotypes)," he said.

There is some truth to the temperature question, however, as Makarov revealed that it goes to 15 degrees below zero in the winter in his hometown. He lives in the city of Monchegorsk in the state of Myrmanskaya.

Comparing the school systems, Makarov rates America easy, since he only has to take seven or eight subjects compared with 17 per year in Russia. When he returns to Russia at the end of the year, he will finish his senior year in high school.

He said his main obstacle in school here is the language challenge. He's taken English since second grade, but still finds some sticking points in translating, he said.

He's also having trouble showing his work in algebra class.

"I can do the problems faster but I can't show them how I did the problems," he said.

For fun, Makarov said he's gone shopping with his host family and to some parties with school friends. "People are very friendly here," he added.

He attended the homecoming dance and was surprised by the formal nature of the event. In Russia, even the senior prom is more casual, held at the local disco and not considered a school-sponsored event, said Makarov.

He is surprised by the big deal made of Christmas in America. At home, he celebrates Russian Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7. His parents and godparents give him some nice gifts, but the holiday is "not so much a big deal there," he added.