What do Joao, a 15 year old from Brazil; Julie, a 17 year old from Norway; and Francesa, a 16 year old from Italy have in common? They're all arriving to the US this August as part of CIEE's High School Program! They are also all in need of host families for their 10 month stay.

Joao considers himself "a very creative kid, a little shy, but also very loyal to his friends." He enjoys playing soccer, tennis and making videos. He plays piano and is learning to play guitar. During his exchange year he would like to play tennis, join the drama club and take a guitar course. He is Catholic and regularly attends services in Brazil.

Julie states, "I am conscientious, kind, and I try to always stay positive." She loves animals, soccer, horseback riding, and skiing, both downhill and cross country. She likes spending time in nature. She looks forward to soccer and cheerleading in the US.

Francesca is "a very curious girl, not shy at all, positive, and modest." She enjoys drawing, swimming, cycling, walking, painting, and cooking. She looks forward to art activities and sports while in the US.

Consider opening your heart and home to one of these students today!

CIEE USA High School Program Information

Since 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange has been in pursuit of its mission, "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world."

The CIEE USA High School program brings over 1,400 international students to communities across the U.S. each year for 5 or 10 months. The program is currently seeking host families to welcome an international exchange student into their community.

Our host families each year have almost as many different makeups as the number of countries we have students from. All kinds of families are welcome to host; single adults, empty nesters, and families with high school students or with young children. There is no wrong family type.

Here is what one of our past families had to say:

“We have hosted several international students over the years. They have challenged our sons to study harder and to learn more, and in turn, my sons have challenged them to interact with new people, consider different ideas and embark on new adventures” – the Berg Family

International students participating in the exchange are between 15 and 18 years of age, have studied English for a minimum of three years, have their own medical insurance & spending money, and have undergone a thorough personal screening and interview process. Once here, cultural immersion allows students to gain a personal understanding of the “American way of life.” Attending American high schools, participating in school and community-run clubs, and living with a host family give students unique firsthand access to American culture and offers them the opportunity to be ambassadors of their culture in American communities. Many students attain fluency in English by the end of the program. Most importantly, they will have built meaningful and lasting American relationships.

Sign up today to host! Unable to host but interested in helping?  Please forward this information to your friends and relatives! 

For more information on how to get involved in this unique opportunity, check out websites www.ciee.org/highschool and www.ciee.org/host or contact CIEE Regional Director, Brandie Broadhead, at bbroadhead@ciee.org or 515-537-0008.