Exchange student program is looking for local host families

If you've ever wondered what it was like to host a student from another country, now's your chance.

The ASSE International Student Exchange Program, formerly the American Scandinavian Student Exchange, is accepting applications to be a host family for next school year. The program goes all the way back to 1938, where it started as an exchanged program for Swedish and German students.

Holly Hawk, the area coordinator for Ohio's chapter, said international students 15-18-years old are looking for families for either next semester or the entire 2021-22 school year, and that the program has placed students in the Wapakoneta City School District in the past.

According to Hawk, the organization works with multiple countries, including Argentina, Finland, Sweden, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Great Britain (to name a few).

Everything starts with the screening process.

"They are carefully scanned and selected by representatives abroad," Hawk said. "The school administrators, teachers and an ASSE representative evaluate these students, and only those that demonstrate excellent character and proficiency in English language are chosen."

Students have at least three years of English study.

Hawk said every potential host family goes through a vetting process which include meeting with local area representatives, phone references, and a home visit in addition to background checks for anyone over 18.

After that, a family selects a student with the help of the program. The selection is based on the family's home dynamics.

"If you have a family with four young children, ages 10 and under, we're not necessarily going to want them to select a student that's an only child in their own country," she said. "That could be a huge learning curve, not only for the student whose working on their English and trying to go to school and be proficient there, but then also to have to juggle the fact of being in a new country, a new family, a new family and then have all these younger siblings too."

Hawk will then contact the schools prospective students would attend, and within a week the student and host family will start communicating.

Exchange students come here for a plethora of reasons. One might be to experience a traditional American school system.

"The schools over there are set up more like… college classes," she said. "They may have English only two days a week, but on the days they don't have English they still have an hour to two hours of homework for that subject that they didn't have class in that day."

Another reason might be the chance to participate in sports.

"There is no such thing as school sports, school dances, school spirit," she said. "Nothing like that overseas. School is very much a business over there."

She said the experience of being in a melting pot of different religions and races is also new to many students.

This year has been more complicated for Hawk and ASSE International Student Exchange Program. Traveling for students could be complicated with restrictions, and some families were nervous to apply this year due to the pandemic

The program is nationwide and is supervised through the Ohio State Department.

"We have to follow their guidelines… that we have to meet and adhere to in order to maintain certification with them," she said.

Hawk said ASSE was able to operate this year despite the pandemic, but admitted not as many students as usual participated.

"Some of our countries have said 'no.'" she said.

Some scholarships were also pulled, including a Spanish one. Any student who applied from Spain using that scholarship was removed from the program. Those students could still come, but they were asked to either financially support themselves or defer to next year.

Hawk described the Wapakoneta area as having a unique opportunity for students.

"It's a smaller community," she said. "It's a close-knit community. … Everybody knows everyone, and so I think with an exchange student in that community they not only feel welcome by the host family, but in a sense they'll be welcomed by the entire community."

Hawk said the district and student body work well with students.

"Being a smaller, unique community is sometimes key for these students to feel ultimately welcomed, not just in their home families but in their surrounding areas and community where they're living," she said.

Upon arrival, students will have insurance and pocket money from their natural families. Students come from North America, South America, Africa, Europe and Asia/pacific Islands. Anyone interested in becoming a host family should contact Hawk at 937418-6779. More information as well as applications can be found at asse.com.