Meet Our Students

Luca is an open-minded, active, and positive student who is excited to experience life in a new culture and become part of a host family. He enjoys meeting new people, building meaningful connections, and bringing humor and good energy into every environment. Adaptable and respectful, Luca approaches new challenges with curiosity and enthusiasm. A passionate soccer player and fan, Luca loves the teamwork, discipline, and excitement the sport brings. He also enjoys spending time outdoors, walking his dog, listening to music, traveling, and being active during vacations through activities like skiing and snorkeling. Family and friendships are very important to him, and he values spending quality time with the people closest to him. Luca hopes his exchange year will help him grow more independent, improve his language skills, and broaden his perspective by experiencing a different school system and culture. He looks forward to creating unforgettable memories, sharing experiences with his host family, and contributing positive energy to their home.

Isabelle is a thoughtful and responsible exchange student from Taiwan who values family, connection, and cultural exchange. Raised in a warm and close-knit family, she has developed a strong sense of responsibility through helping care for her younger sister, which has also nurtured her patience, attentiveness, and love for working with children. She is passionate about music and plays jazz drums, an experience that has taught her discipline, teamwork, and the importance of listening and collaboration. Isabelle brings a positive, organized, and reliable attitude to her daily life, balancing her responsibilities with care and dedication while contributing actively to her home environment. Respectful of family routines and personal space, she strives to create a harmonious and supportive atmosphere wherever she lives. Isabelle is especially excited about cultural exchange—she looks forward to sharing Taiwanese traditions, food, and celebrations while also learning about and embracing a new culture. Open-minded and curious, she hopes to build meaningful connections and create lasting memories with her host family.

Louis is a curious, energetic, and motivated student excited to experience everyday life with an American family. As a pastry chef and chocolatier apprentice, he is dedicated, hardworking, and takes pride in his craft. Outside of his training, Louis enjoys spending time with family and friends, whether that’s go-karting, playing pool, attending concerts, or relaxing with video games and music. He has a strong appreciation for cars, photography, and drawing, and values meaningful connections and shared experiences. Louis is eager to improve his English, grow in independence, and embrace new opportunities while sharing his own culture and traditions. Louis says, “I’m really ready to jump into this adventure and live like a real member of your family.”

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.

Meet 16-year-old French student Mael who lives in a small village with his father, mother, older brother and cat. Mael is close to his family and they often play board games, pool, and darts and he enjoys activities with his friends. He is currently in the 10th grade and would like to become an architect in the future. His friends and family describe him as nice, respectful, open-minded, funny, generous, clever, friendly and easy to live with. Mael enjoys walking and cycling with his active family along with playing soccer, basketball, table tennis and practicing judo. Beside playing sports, he enjoys music, cooking and traveling. He did a two-week cultural exchange to Panama and his family hosted an exchange student in 2021. While in the US he wants to immerse himself in an American family to discover American life and culture.

I'm currently attending my third year at the High School of Science and I really love it! Science, physics, and math are really interesting for me. I've always wanted to have a pet but my mother says that it requires a lot of work, so I hope to have one in America! One of my hobbies is cooking, I usually bake cookies, cakes, and typical Italian sweets. I enjoy experimenting with new recipes. I love watching horror/thriller movies and series, I really enjoy the type of adrenaline--I also read thriller books! I love practicing all sports, but my favorite is basketball! I adore moving and achieving small goals, and tend to be considered competitive. Once a week I have a meeting in church with my peers, we discuss current topics and prepare activities and games for children, and I volunteer every year in a parish summer camp! I am really excited to learn and absorb the American culture. I always dreamed to celebrate the famous Thanksgiving, to baking Christmas cookies, and to watching a movie while eating popcorn from those huge bags! I'm so happy to represent my country, and I'll cook every Italian dish you are willing to try! I am so grateful for this opportunity and I'm sure we will make many unforgettable memories together!

Leana is a kind, respectful, and caring 14-year-old who loves sports, music, and spending time with family and friends. She lives with her parents, twin brother, and younger sister, along with their two dogs and two cats. Although she can be shy at first, Leana becomes very outgoing and comfortable once she gets to know people. Sports have always been a big part of her life. She has practiced gymnastics since the age of three and has also participated in athletics and crossfit. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and TV series, listening to music, shopping with friends, and traveling with her family. One of her favorite traditions is spending time in Portugal with her cousins each year. Leana hopes to become a flight attendant in the future, which is one of the reasons she is excited to improve her English during her exchange year. She is eager to experience American student life, meet new people, discover new cultures, and grow more independent and confident. Leana looks forward to sharing her own culture while creating unforgettable memories and strong relationships with her host family.

I have two parents and a little sister. We are very close and are always there for each other. We live in an apartment building, and we do lots of activities together. For instance, me and my dad go swimming every week at our local pool as a recreational activity, even in wintertime. During summer, we go on a lot of bike rides, particularly in the mountains where we have the best time. We also play a lot of ping pong. With my mother and sister, we often walk around town and discuss various topics or play badminton at our local park. Through the years, I have developed many passions and interests. First off, I really love geography. This subject is deeply rooted in me and I always strive to excel at it by going to national competitions and participating in various online courses. At the same time, I enjoy reading books. I particularly enjoy reading about scientific discoveries, expeditions, and historical events. My main plans for the future are to graduate high school and continue my studies in the field of Earth Science, whether in my home country, or abroad. I want to help and cooperate with people to find solutions to problems affecting our planet like climate change and biodiversity loss. I would also want to volunteer more and support campaigns and events that help protect our community.

Larissa is excited to spend a year in America as an exchange student. She lives with her parents and several pets and values time with her family and friends. Larissa describes herself as shy at first but outgoing, caring, and social once she feels comfortable. She enjoys activities like horseback riding, theater, crafting, music, and spending time outdoors. She hopes her exchange year will help her become more independent, experience everyday life in America, build strong relationships with her host family and new friends, and share her Dutch culture while learning from new experiences.