Meet Our Students

Hello! I'm Albina, a 15-year-old from Kazakhstan, currently in the 19th grade and serving as the Minister of Education at my school. I'm an active, curious, and motivated person who loves to learn, create, and connect with others. I founded a speaking club and a book club to help others grow and share knowledge. These activities, though only 2 hours a week, always leave me inspired. Family is important to me. I enjoy helping my parents and taking care of our cat and dog. I've lived in the UK, Canada, and Turkey, so I'm quite independent. On weekends, I love outdoor activities with friends and work on my dream of becoming a cosmetics engineer. I'm passionate about science and making skincare accessible. I'd love to cook traditional dishes like Beshbarmak and Baursaks, and bring handmade gifts as a token of gratitude. I hope to bring positivity, curiosity, and creativity into your household. I'm excited about the opportunity to learn from your family, share my culture, and create lasting memories.

Zhibek, from Kyrgyzstan, is deeply passionate about cycling, whether riding solo or with friends. She loves the sense of freedom it gives her to explore new routes, breathe in the fresh air, and discover hidden gems in her city. When cycling with friends, she enjoys finding picturesque spots for picnics, where she can also practice her photography skills. As someone who truly appreciates the outdoors, she also finds joy in gardening. Tending to a garden has taught her responsibility and the value of caring for something over time. As a middle child, Zhibek plays an active role in helping her mother and sisters keep their home clean and organized. She also finds cooking to be a joyful family activity, especially when preparing traditional Kyrgyz dishes like plov, the national dish. She looks forward to sharing her culture with her host family by teaching them how to make plov and introducing them to Kyrgyz traditions. In addition to cooking, she hopes to play table tennis with her host family, a game she enjoys. Zhibek is highly motivated to learn and grow, particularly in improving her English. She recently earned first place in her school's English Language Olympiad, a testament to her dedication. She aspires to pursue a career in psychology, where her strong desire to help others will be a valuable asset. Volunteering brings her great joy, as she finds fulfillment in making a difference in people’s lives. Having already experienced life away from home while attending a Turkish high school, Zhibek feels well prepared to study abroad. This experience has made her independent and adaptable to new environments. She is excited about the opportunity to become part of an American family, immerse herself in a new culture, and continue her journey of learning and personal growth.

Please welcome Nizomi to your home! He is very family oriented. He loves to have conversations with his family, which consists of his parents, one sister, and two brothers. He also loves to play Chess with his father. He is a well-rounded boy who enjoys playing soccer, volleyball, basketball, and table tennis. He also enjoys swimming, reading, and listening to music. It sounds like he has a sense of humor, because he also says that doing house chores is fun for him. He also enjoys gardening with his father and walking the family dog in the small town in which his family lives.

Vincent has dreamed of doing an exchange year in the USA since he was a small child. His friends and family describe him as active, polite, funny, adventurous and ambitious. At home he helps family with household tasks like cooking and cleaning. He takes pride in keeping his belonging nice, neat and organized. Vincent's two passions are sports and music. He has played basketball, and soccer, and loves all types of surfing. He is excited to get the opportunity to play some different types of sports in America. He would love to also be in band. He has played the piano since he was ten and also plays the flute, and saxophone. Vincent is looking forward to learning what his host families' hobbies and passions are.

Isis is a passionate cinema buff from a small town in France who loves to talk and equally loves to listen. Super motivated, she loves reading, writing, and dance (though now it is more in her own bedroom than on a stage). As one who is thoughtful and empathetic, Isis loves planning parties and celebrations for her family and friends. She cannot wait to experience all the celebrations in America, especially her first ever Thanksgiving! With three older brothers, nieces and nephews, super close friends, and parents that she absolutely adores, she is grateful for the life she has. Her family and friends have given her the support she needs to leave her comfort zone and live out her dream of coming to America - and she can't wait to meet you!

Starr is an enthusiastic and creative exchange student from Taiwan with a deep passion for the arts. Born in California, she spent several years in the U.S. before moving to Taiwan, giving her a unique perspective on both cultures. She is excited to return to America, not only to experience the culture but also to share her own, especially through Taiwanese cuisine. Starr has been learning to cook traditional dishes and is eager to introduce others to the flavors of Taiwan. A true art enthusiast, Starr loves music, dance, and drawing. Her dream is to become a stage technician, a career that allows her to combine her creativity with problem-solving skills. She enjoys the challenges that come with stage production and is eager to learn more about the technical aspects of theater. In addition, she is currently learning to play the guitar, further expanding her artistic talents. She is a huge fan of K-pop, with Seventeen being her favorite group. She also loves spending time with friends and her cousin, making cherished memories with those closest to her. Despite her parents’ busy schedules, she values the moments they can share a home-cooked meal together. One of her favorite pastimes is cuddling with her friend’s big golden retriever—she absolutely adores large dogs and even enjoys watching dog videos for fun. She is also an avid table tennis player and has even competed in tournaments. Starr has an easy-going personality and finds that if there are differences with people the best solution is to always be respectful and just talk about it. Starr hopes to have this experience in America where she can learn more about your holidays and traditions and also share about some of hers like Lunar Year.

Meet Betty from France where she lives with her parents. She is17 years-old and considers herself be to a cheerful, energetic, very sociable person, who loves exploring new cultures and meeting lots of new people. She is originally from Togo and visits extended family there once a year. Welcome Betty into your home and enjoy two cultures!!! She is an only child and is looking forward to experiencing host siblings. Betty enjoys spending time with her family, reading books, cooking with her mom, playing sports, dancing and other physical activities. Though she isn't able to play on a team at home, she hopes to participate on a school team while in America. Betty writes, "Whether it's discovering different traditions like Thanksgiving which I really want to know and many others or trying new foods like fast foods that I can see on social networks." Will she enjoy Thanksgiving with your family?

Diego is excited to come to America and share some of his Italian culture with you. He is the middle child of two brothers, and he is very close to his immediate family and extended family. Within his large family, he is considered to be very patient with his younger cousins. Living near the Sea, they spend a lot of time there together playing volleyball, handball, and tennis. He likes to play video games but is also very active as well. He plays competitive handball, where he trains several days a week and participates in competitions on the weekends. In his free time, you may find him skiing or swimming in the sea. He finds delight in cooking all kinds of Italian dishes, but he really hopes to show his American family the art of making classic Italian Pasta and introduce you to some of his favorite Italian pop music. He loves animals and in his own home he has a funny cat. He is excited to come to America and partake in all the culture, but also to bring his Italian culture to your family.

Louna is a bright, curious, friendly, and energetic student from France. In her words, Louna says “I really want to get out of my comfort zone, change my routine, and go on an adventure.” She loves sports, playing handball since she was 7, enjoys volleyball for the teamwork aspect, and surfing for the feeling of freedom out on the water. Louna also enjoys music, walks, cooking, laughing, and board games. She likes helping others so much that she became a Lifeguard and is first aid certified! Excited for lots of things in America, Louna mentioned getting to experience soccer games and the holidays here. Since she is so close to her mother, father, and sisters, she cannot wait to get to know you as well, making memories she believes will last a lifetime!

Meet Kudratzhan, but you can call him Kade. He is a recipient of the prestigious FLEX scholarship. Kade says he is a social person and enjoys spending time with his friends. Kade enjoys playing basketball as he feels it is a way to help him relax, develop critical thinking skills, and increase his physical ability. Kade enjoys volunteering, with his friends they created a non-profit volunteer organization as they saw that there were not opportunities in their community for teenage development. This organization organizes clean up days in the community and UN Models and debates. Because of his passion for physics and astronomy Kade plans to pursue a degree in physics and engineering in hopes to make a meaningful contribution to the technological development of our world and make it a better place. Kade does an allergy to cats and will need a family without cats in the home.