Imagine boarding a flight knowing you are about to experience the American Dream. You are super excited but have many flights to get there. Once boarding your last plane you knew you had a long flight so you decided to go to sleep. When you woke up you had finally arrived in America excited to live out your foreign exchange year dream.
Jen Deeter, coordinator for Foreign Links Around The World was asked about the aspects of placing students, how she decides where they will be placed, and what she enjoys about being our local coordinator. First up is the process of placing the students. When a family picks a student, the coordinators then send the school principal all of the student information and files to read over, so principals can decide if they will approve the student to attend the school. Then, once the coordinators get approval from the school, Deeter goes to the host family’s home and does an interview, along with taking required pictures of the home. She then sends a message to, ¨ three references¨ to ask questions about the host family and get their approval. After all of that is done, Mrs. Deeter submits this into the system and then goes to the corporate to look over everything and make the final decision. Once the placement finally goes through, the host family has to wait for the student to reach out. The next step is deciding where students will go. Deeter said,¨We consider each student’s strengths, needs, and personality. We also look at the dynamics of the houses, ensuring they have a balance of skills and characteristics to create a supportive and cohesive environment¨. Deeter looks over each applicant that is given to her before she searches for a family. After reading through the application Deeter said she starts reaching out to families she thinks would be a good fit for that particular student. Finally, Deeter was asked what she enjoys most about being a coordinator. Jen Deeter stated, “The most rewarding part is seeing the students thrive in the environment here in the U.S. and helping them find the right fit whether it’s academically or socially, and watching their confidence grow is so fulfilling.” Mrs. Deeter also enjoys getting to know each student and building relationships with them.
Maisa Tatti, an exchange student at Lewis Cass, from Finland, had this to say about her experience. Maisa was asked what she enjoys most about being in the United States. Maisa responded, ¨Spending time with my lovely host sister, and school is a lot easier and more enjoyable.¨ Tatti also said some major differences between Finland and the United States are that you cannot walk anywhere or use much public transportation. Maisa thinks the people in the U.S. are more social. The things she misses most from Finland are her friends, family, and the food. A few things she is looking forward to in her exchange year are spending Christmas with her host family and graduating from an American high school.
Finally, if you are ever interested in learning more about the exchange student programs and life, reach out to Jen Deeter or one of the foreign exchange students.
