Meet Our Students

Ethan is a kind-hearted and thoughtful boy from Thailand. Known by his friends as the “gentle giant,” he’s admired for his caring nature and quiet strength. He comes from a close-knit, supportive family and cherishes time spent with them, especially enjoying spicy Thai dishes made by his grandma. Ethan is passionate about basketball and plays as a main team member at school, where he also shines in academics, particularly in English and Business Studies. He’s musically talented, playing guitar in his school band, and enjoys anime, gaming, and exploring different cultures. Ethan is excited to join a host family, share his Thai heritage, and build meaningful connections through this exchange experience.

For more info, check out my Host Family Letter!

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.

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.

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.

Meet Leanne from France who loves to sing and dance, and she is part of a kpop dance association back home. She loves cooking or baking and cannot wait to make something for her new host family. She loves animals and enjoys going to the zoo and seeing the lions. Leanne did a year of horseback riding as well. She enjoys long walks and being outdoors. Her friends would describe her as empathetic, mature, organized, sensitive and an honest person that loves to dream. She cannot wait to meet you!

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.

Lucia lives with her parents, sister and cat. With her mom, she enjoys walking outside and going to the gym three times a week and to do weights, stretching, and other exercises together. Her time with her dad is spent watching soccer, either on TV or at a stadium, and they also enjoy learning about new cultures, meeting new people and visiting lots of places together. Lucia loves shopping, doing make up, singing and dancing with her sister. She loves animals and has always wanted a pet of her own. Her cat is a recent addition to the family that she is over the moon about. Lucia's favorite animal is horses, she has been riding for eight years, including show jumping. She has also played volleyball in the past. She really enjoys sports and being active. In the future, Lucia hopes to be a psychologist.

Meet Nina from France! She has practiced modern dance for the past 10 years, and this allowed her to meet new people and participate in competitions. This taught her to manage stress and gain confidence, but she has not been able to do it much lately and it would be great if she was able to participate in a dance program in the US. Nina also enjoys school, her subjects like business management, economics and human resources will help her with her future endeavors. She hopes to join some clubs at school to focus on leadership as well. Her friends would describe her as fun, outgoing, meticulous, and loves to laugh. Nina likes to meet with friends for coffee, celebrate birthdays, go to concerts and watch football games. She wants to continue to discover new things during her exchange year and cannot wait to meet her new host family.

I live in northern Italy with my parents and my older brother. I attend a scientific high school because I enjoy subjects like mathematics. I like spending time with my family, doing activities such as playing board games, watching movies, biking, and skiing. I practice athletics and I am a middle-distance runner. I also enjoy swimming, cycling, walking, and ice skating. In my free time, I like being with friends, watching TV series (especially Suits), reading novels and magazines, and playing video games. I love cooking and eating, especially parmigiana, mushroom risotto, and chocolate desserts. I chose to spend a school year in the United States to improve my English and to experience a different culture and school system. I am excited to try new subjects and meet new people. I am interested in airplanes and would like to become an airline pilot in the future. I am very grateful to my host family for welcoming me into their home, and I hope we will spend a wonderful year together.