Local families building international connections

With summer winding down, many students and families are looking ahead to the start of the school year.

Traditional American students aren’t the only ones looking forward to the fall.

Foreign exchange students visiting south eastern Idaho are, too.

Around 30,000 foreign exchange students enter the U.S. every year to attend high school and live with local host families. Four host families in the Rexburg area are still needed for international students that will be attending Madison High School in the fall.

“The only thing we really ask of host families is that they provide room and board and the willingness to provide transportation to and from school and school-related activities,” said Justin Fullmer, International Cultural Exchange Service coordinator. “We also ask that families treat the student like part of their family. It makes for an overall better experience and creates lifelong relationships.”

The students come from all over the world, bur primarily from countries where mastering the English language is highly valued. More importantly, coordinators say all students share the same dream: To experience life as a traditional American high school student.

“They don’t have any school functions other than dances or something and they don’t have sports,” said Fullmer. “So they enjoy going to the games, dressing up and showing school spirit and cheering for their teams.”

The ICES program has been placing students in the Rexburg area, and more specifically in Madison High School for the last five years.

For more information, visit www.icesusa.org or contact Justin at 208-521-8367.