Meet Our Students

Darwin describes himself as kind and positive. He lives with his mother and grandmother who support him in everything that he does; especially his education and sports. Darwin says that his home is filled with laughter and good food. One of the biggest parts of his life is basketball which makes him feel strong, focused and happy and he hopes to play in the US. He also enjoys relaxing moments, listening to music, spending time with friends and trying new foods. He chose to be an exchange student so he can grow as a person, learn about American culture, and understand life in another part of the world. By living with a host family, he believes that it is the best and most authentic way to experience this. Darwin hopes that his exchange year will be unforgettable for himself and his host family.

Luis is responsible, outgoing, and enthusiastic with a deep passion for learning, sports, and connecting with others. His interests range from boxing, skiing, and surfing, to music, cooking, and exploring personal growth. Inspired by his love for working with young children, he hopes to become a primary school teacher one day. Luis wants to come to America not only to improve his English, but also to experience a new culture, challenge himself in a different academic environment, and become part of a family with whom he can share traditions, build meaningful relationships, and grow personally. He sees this exchange as a chance to step outside of his comfort zone and discover more about the world and himself.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your welcome this school year, which will allow me to live this incredible experience. I live in the South of France in a small mountain village with my family. We have a dog, Oslo, who is my best friend. If I were to tell you about myself, I would tell you that I love animals, drawing, and the mountains! I also love horses, I have been riding for over 10 years. What I enjoy most is spending time with the horses and concentrating on my technique without thinking about anything else. I have been drawing since I was a little girl and I even took classes in Fine Arts. I would like to go to an interior design school in the future, and help people feel good in their homes. My dream is to try out for the high school cheerleading team. This doesn't exist in French school and is something I have always wanted to do. I can't wait to meet you and to spend this year with you!

Luce is in 10th grade and enjoys school, especially history and French. Friendly, funny, and open-minded, she has a strong sense of responsibility and values fairness and generosity. She is excited to discover life in the United States, improve her English, and experience American traditions like Halloween and Christmas. Luce has a strong sense of responsibility and values fairness and generosity. She also babysits and enjoys being involved in her community. She loves cinema and music, practices Thai boxing and wrestling, plays guitar, and enjoys museums, concerts, and spending time with friends and family. Curious and passionate about the world, she hopes to become a journalist or reporter in the future.

Sem is a bright, creative, and adventurous 16-year-old from the Netherlands who is excited to experience life in the United States as an exchange student. A dedicated straight-A student, Sem enjoys learning both academically and through new life experiences. Currently attending a theatre-focused school with a filmmaking program, Sem has a passion for storytelling, creativity, and the arts. Open-minded, social, and caring, Sem loves connecting with people and learning about different cultures and perspectives. Alongside creative interests like filmmaking, museums, and theatre, Sem also enjoys cozy activities such as baking, puzzling, journaling, and listening to music. Eager to fully embrace American culture, Sem is looking forward to traditions like Homecoming, Thanksgiving, football games, and prom, while also hoping to try activities such as hockey, drama, cooking, or pottery. Family is very important to Sem, and she is excited to become part of a new host family, create meaningful memories, and share Dutch culture along the way.

From northwestern France, Emmy is pleasant and poised and looking forward to creating incredible memories with her host family. Not one to fall into routine, Emmy enjoys the special moments that are often experienced during new adventures. Her family is very important to her, and she enjoys celebrating festive events like birthdays and Christmas with laughter and a meal. A passionate person, Emmy enjoys sports like handball, cheering on her favorite teams, baking, exploring new places, and animals! When it's finally time to relax, Emmy sits down with a good book or a movie, and of course, listens to her favorite music every day! Emmy is looking forward to becoming a true member of her American host family with a strong bond lasting well beyond her exchange year.

Meet Arstenbek from Kyrgyzstan. He is a serious student with a fun side! He is excited to learn about American culture and wants to try baseball and American football. He enjoys hobbies like chess, Monopoly, and table tennis. He is a recipient of the prestigious FLEX scholarship for students that have demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities. He spends weekdays at a boarding school where he is engaged in several interesting projects called GreenLand, Bilimbot, Olimpfund and Olimplearn. He describes the boarding school as an opportunity that he is extremely grateful to be a part of where he is learning cleanliness and respect for elders along with academic subjects. On weekends he is home with his family which includes his mother, father and ten-year-old brother. Helping out at home when he is there is very important to Arstanbek, he cleans, cooks and grocery shops for his family. He is also very passionate about his culture; he plays a traditional instrument called the Chopo-Chor. He also acknowledges what an amazing act of kindness hosting a student is and will truly appreciate this opportunity to its fullest.

Roman is a well-balanced boy from Germany. He is looking forward to coming to the United States, joining a host family, and becoming involved at school. Improving his language skills and making meaningful connections are his top priorities. His own family has taught him about respect, quality time, and responsibility, all of which he hopes to find and share with an American host family. Some of his favorite activities are soccer, chess, skiing, and cooking. Roman appreciates balance in life like being physically active and also having calm, relaxing activities. He hopes to truly engage with his host family because he wants to experience real family life to understand the daily routines, traditions, and values of an American family.

Meet 18-year-old French student Ilona who has dreamed of being an exchange student since she was 13. Family is very important to her and she lives with her mother, step-father and brother. She loves simple moments with her family like playing board games, talking, laughing and watching movies along with an evening talking with friends. Her friends describe her as sunny, kind, generous, caring and always willing to help She is passionate about reading, especially romance novels, and loves to travel. Recently she had the opportunity to travel to Slovenia for a one-week school exchange. She chose the USA for her exchange year, because the country has always fascinated her, she wants to improve her English and to step out of her comfort zone in a new environment. Ilona is excited to go to prom, choose a fun class in high school, try new activities such as cheerleading or track & field, carve a Halloween pumpkin, see an American football game and celebrate Thanksgiving.