Johnston State Rep. Stephen Ucci sat at a small table inside the packed Young Pannese Society Club last Wednesday evening with a satisfied smile on his face. The Johnston native exchanged pleasantries with Msgr. Carlo Montecalvo of St. Sebastian’s in Providence and Don Mimmo Guida, the Pastor from Panni Foggia, Italy and raised his wine glass as a special toast in honor of the night’s historic happening.

Later in the evening, Ucci was on the receiving end of a special award – one that Pannese Society Vice President Louis Spremulli presented as a tribute for helping make the current and first-ever Student Exchange with officials from the Liceo Classico Lanza School in Italy an overwhelming success. Ucci, Student Exchange Chairman Louis Mansolillo later said, has been the unique international student exchange program’s major contributor.