Host families sought
Non-profit exchange program STS Foundation is inviting Putnam County families to host international exchange students for the 2010-11 school year.
The teenage students come from over 30 countries and will attend local high schools during their stays.
The students have their own spending money and insurance. Host families are responsible for meals, a place to sleep and a nurturing environment.
STS Foundation has a local coordinator that will supervise the student and support the family throughout the school year.
Here are a few of the incoming students that are requesting families:
* Marianne is 16 and comes from Oslo, Norway.
Her dad is an engineer and her mom is a secretary. She has an 18-year-old brother named Magnus.
Marianne enjoys singing, drawing, reading and being with her family. She considers herself to be a happy and positive person. Marianne is a straight-A student and her teachers describe her as a hard worker.
She will be in the United States for the full year and is very excited about meeting her new family wherever she gets placed. Marianne loves children and animals and hopes to live with a family that has some pets.
* Ryan is 15 and comes from the Netherlands.
He has a 13-year-old brother named Cedric. Ryan's dad is a foreman and his mom is a beautician.
Ryan loves basketball, baseball, swimming, going to sports games, movies, fishing, walking the dog and reading.
He loves animals and has worked part-time at the local zoo. He also loves sports cars and goes to auto-shows with his dad.
Ryan plays on his school's basketball team. His dad also used to play and now coaches Ryan's team.
His teachers describe him as being a nice, polite student who has a great interest in his classes.
Ryan is a B-average student. He cannot wait to meet his new family in the United States.
* Ceceila is 17 and comes from Lille, France. She lives with her parents and 20-year-old sister named Mathilde.
Cecilia's hobbies include playing the piano, dance, tennis, listening to music, reading and cinema. She loves going to concerts and ballets.
Mathilde and her family are currently hosting a boy from Ecuador and they are really enjoying having hosting him.
Cecilia is very involved in student groups at school and is currently on the school's high life council.
She would like to work in communications or journalism when she is older.
Cecilia has played the piano since she was 5 and practices every day.
She also plays tennis on the weekends and hopes to continue this in the United States. She would also like to try cheerleading in her new high school.
* Janna is 17 and comes from Finland.
Her dad works with sports facilities and her mom is a service assistant.
Janna has three brothers aged 12, 7 and 5. She speaks English and Swedish.
She loves cycling, skiing, running and going to the gym. She also loves singing.
She owns a piano but still does not know how to play.
She cycles a lot with her dad, and they have traveled to different countries just for this sport.
Janna also has an interest in acting and hopes to join a theatre group if possible in the United States. She describes herself as being confident and funny.
For questions about these and other students, call or e-mail David Keating at (800) 22-4678 or david@stsfoundation.org.
STS Foundation is a dedicated to intercultural exchange.
More information can be found at www.stsfoundation.org.