Meet Our Students

Elsa is a creative and thoughtful student who is both calm and warm once she feels comfortable. She has a strong passion for drawing, especially cartoons, and enjoys expressing herself through art. An active and motivated person, she has played volleyball for four years and values teamwork and personal improvement. Elsa prefers cozy moments such as movie nights, reading, and spending quality time with family and friends over loud social events. Curious about the world, she is eager to discover new cultures and is particularly fascinated by American traditions and holidays. Kind, open-minded, and enthusiastic about learning, Elsa looks forward to meaningful cultural exchange and new experiences.

My name is Elenor, and I live in a small village in western France near the sea. I share a warm home with my parents and my sister, whom I often help as she lives with a genetic condition. My days are filled with dance, a passion I’ve had since I was six, and which I now practice several hours a day, competing at regional and national levels. I also love reading—whether romance or fantasy—and spending time with my friends and family, whether hiking with my mother or watching classic films with my father. Thanks to my travels, including a memorable trip to the United States, I’ve discovered how much I appreciate the spontaneity and kindness of American culture. I would love to spend a year in the U.S. to experience everyday American life, join in school traditions like riding the yellow bus or discovering cheerleading, and share my own French culture in return. I hope to live with a family who will welcome this cultural exchange and allow us to learn from one another.

Katie is easygoing, warm, and known for her bright smile—especially in awkward moments. Katie loves animals (especially dogs and cats), warm weather, and spending time at the beach, where she’s happiest relaxing in the sun with ice cream in hand. While she’s adventurous and open-minded, she’ll admit she has one big fear: spiders! In her free time, Katie enjoys watching movies, shopping at the mall, exploring new places, and hanging out with friends. She is always eager to try new activities and looks forward to participating in family traditions, school events, and anything new her host family enjoys doing together. Family and friendships are very important to Katie. She values the strong support system she has at home, especially her parents, who have taught her independence, patience, and resilience. Through her exchange experience, Katie hopes to grow more independent, adapt to a new culture, and gain meaningful life experiences. She is deeply grateful to host families who open their homes and hearts and is excited to learn about American culture, daily life, and family traditions while becoming a part of her host family.

Franziska, or Franzi, is a friendly and open-minded student from eastern Germany who loves both the energy of the city and the calm of the countryside. She has a deep passion for music, having played the transverse flute for nine years, and she enjoys how it connects people. Swimming is another major part of her life—she has trained for years and now coaches young children, something she finds both fun and meaningful. Outside of her main hobbies, Franzi enjoys being active outdoors, skiing in winter, and doing creative activities like baking. She hopes to come to America to experience everyday life in a U.S. family, celebrate American traditions like Halloween and Thanksgiving, explore new foods and activities, improve her English, and grow more independent while building lasting connections.

Meet Oscar from France who is ready for an adventure! He plays handball on a team twice a week and has been playing the piano for 8 years. He has many interests as you can see. He loves all kinds of pets like cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. Oscar is dedicated to his studies, and his favorite subjects are math and science. In the future, he would like to become an architect and create enormous and incredible buildings. He is very active and loves to go to the countryside and help his grandparents with the gardening. He enjoys the outdoors and in the winter season he likes to go skiing with his family. Oscar hopes to improve his English and build lifelong memories with his new host family.

Benoit is a friendly and responsible student who loves learning, helping younger kids, and being part of a close-knit family. He enjoys reading fantasy and history, playing strategy and creative games, staying active through fencing and swimming, and spending time outdoors. Benoit is a dedicated student with strong interests in history, languages, and economics, and he’s comfortable around both cats and dogs. A recent trip to the U.S. sparked his excitement to return, discover American traditions, explore new places, and share some of his own French culture while becoming part of a welcoming host family.

Gaini is excited to experience life in the U.S. and become part of a new family. She comes from a close-knit household with her parents and three sisters, and she values family time, whether it’s cooking, drinking tea, or playing games together. Gaini is curious and active, enjoying reading, watching movies, playing the traditional Kazakh instrument dombyra, volleyball, and volunteering. She loves learning about new cultures, trying international recipes, and connecting with people. Through her exchange year, Gaini hopes to grow, make lasting friendships, and share her culture while embracing the everyday joys of life in America.

Chiara is an energetic, creative, and curious girl who comes from a close-knit family in the Italian countryside. She plays piano and guitar, loves sports like aerial dance and hiking, and is passionate about music, fashion, and writing. At school, Chiara is known for being kind, mature, and helpful, and she’s active in her church youth group and summer camps. Chiara enjoys baking, thrillers, concerts, and crafting with friends. Whether skiing, swimming, or exploring new places, she embraces adventure and connection. Chiara is excited to join a host family and take the first step toward her dream of discovering the world.

Aurora is from northern Italy and attends a linguistic high school. She is described as sweet, kind, calm, sensitive, and responsible. She has a close and supportive family, including her parents and her younger sister, who is also her best friend. Dance is a very important part of her life: she practices classical and modern dance and sees it as a way to express herself and relax. She is also deeply involved in scouts, volunteering, church activities, and amateur theater. Aurora enjoys cooking, walking in nature, drawing, and painting, and she dreams of working in the fashion world or becoming a tour guide. She wants to become an exchange student in the USA to improve her English, overcome her shyness, grow personally, and experience a new culture while sharing Italian traditions.