POST FALLS - As difficult as some students here think they have it, Ian Childress was reminded on Tuesday that life could have other challenges.

Local high school students enrolled in courses through the Idaho Distance Education Academy (IDEA) in Post Falls traded cultural information via video conference with students in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country in central Africa.

"We like to complain, but this puts things in perspective," said Childress, a student who lives in Dalton Gardens.

Local students connected with those in the Congo at 7 a.m. local time, which was 5 p.m. in the Congo.

As the conference closed, those in the Congo were in a hurry to leave their technical school.

And it wasn't because they were scooting to grab a soda with friends after school.

It was because public transportation shuts down in the early evening before violence takes over.

"Things are a mess over there," Stephanie Childress, an IDEA teacher, told the students.

Students were wide-eyed about other revelations from the Congo.

Junior Tori Overholtzer asked about the family structure in the Congo.

Through a translator who was with the Congo students, Overholtzer learned that it's not uncommon for families there to have a dozen children.

Freshman Tessa Overholtzer played the guitar and sang for the students in the Congo and an African song and dance were returned.

IDEA students in Boise and a few other high schools from North Carolina to Alaska were also part of the conference, asking questions and sharing information about their culture.

American students learned that not only does Congo have federal and local governments, but that country also has "neighborhood chiefs."

The exchange made Ian Childress curious so he promptly Googled the unemployment situation in the Congo to learn that roughly 30 percent of the people have jobs.

"Pretty scary," he said.

About half of the population there is under 16. In eastern Congo, where the students who were on the conference were from, sexual violence is arguably the worst in the world. Many have died from malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.

A lot of children over there are trying to get into the workforce at a young age by going to technical schools.

"Education here is academic; education there is practical," said Stephanie Childress, adding that there's more learning opportunities all the time here.

Athol parent Janet Poorman, whose son Isaac is an IDEA student, was impressed with the cultural exchange.

"It helps give a broad perspective of the world and we can be a part of something that's much bigger," she said. "I think it helps you become more well-rounded."

After the video conference, IDEA students made artificial "bones" with messages to support the Congo school. After the bones are dried, they'll be displayed at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in April.

For every bone that is made, the private and independent Bezos Family Foundation will donate $1 to the Congo school and restoration efforts. The goal is to raise $1 million.

Stephanie Childress said the enrichment exercise with the Congo was IDEA's first international connection through the Idaho Education Network with more to come.

"It makes the world smaller and is a neat way for kids to realize there's things bigger than themselves," she said.