Have you ever thought about hosting an exchange student? Hosting an exchange student is a wonderful way to learn about and teach your children about other cultures, and make a friend for life in the process. Local families are needed to host exchange students in Northwest Arkansas.
ICES (International Cultural Exchange Services) was founded in 1991 by John J. Crist in Atlanta, Georgia. John had previously worked in Youth Exchange Executive Roles for more than 10 years in the United States, based in San Francisco and Santa Barbara, California and internationally in Brighton, England, Madrid, Spain and Stockholm, Sweden.
For well more than two decades, ICES has promoted a more peaceful world by advancing international awareness and cultural understanding to thousands of exchange students from all over the world. ICES has become a leader in the field of youth exchange due to years of hard work, quality service, and the caring hearts of our president and key ICES staff who have all been with ICES since its inception.
We are looking for host families for high school foreign exchange students; you can be a permanent placement or welcome host family. The students are ages 15-18, come from a variety of countries and have a dream to study here in the U.S. They have their own health insurance and spending money. The host family is responsible for most meals, some transportation and providing a bedroom and study space.
Host families represent the diversity of American culture and come in all shapes and sizes. The host family may consist of a single adult, a couple with or without children or an “empty nester.” All are welcome to become an ICES host family!
Once the initial paperwork has been completed, the host family can browse student profiles and select a student that fits with your family. You can choose a student based on age, gender, country, interests, faith or one whose letter just makes you smile.
One of the students currently available is Junxiao from China. He enjoys cycling, fishing, hiking, camping, movies and playing the violin. Nukun from Thailand also needs a host family. He enjoys pets, reading and drawing. Agueda, a girl from Spain, enjoys handball.
We at ICES are here to support you every step of the way through your hosting experience.
If you would like more information or know someone who may, please contact me and I would love to answer any questions you may have.
Heather Hall, ICES Field Manager; hhall@icesusa.org
Stacey Gunn, ICES Local Coordinator; sgunn@icesusa.org
