March 15, 2019
Academic Year Program Hosts Needed for 2019-20
Families who had a great summer month with a Japanese exchangee have an opportunity to experience a more in-depth relationship by hosting an Academic Year Program (AYP) student for the next school year. Several host siblings have commented how much fun it has been to have “sister” to share high school with. For example, would your family enjoy sharing a school year with Yuma, who plays saxophone and trombone, is good with small children and has a dog? Prefer hosting a boy? How about adding a son like “Michael” who loves sports and is dedicated to soccer, but likes basketball, and singing. There are 14 Japanese and South Korean girls and 9 boys from those countries who need 4-H host families in Kansas. In addition, we soon will have information on about 20 YES students from Asia, Africa and Europe. (See the following article about the Kennedy-Lugar YES exchange.) All of these exchange students have taken English proficiency tests and interviewed to assess their ability to succeed in the U.S. school environment.
These exchanges are available to host families throughout Kansas and are supported by 4-H. Approved host families provide a bed, meals and transportation between August and May/June. Our AYP exchange students attend public high schools and participate in 4-H.while in the U.S. There are no requirements for host siblings or current 4-H membership in the host family. School and personal expenses are covered by the natural families or the YES program. States’ 4-H provides and oversees the students’ health insurance. Contact Mary Kay Munson, State Coordinator, for information at 785-238-3631 (leave a message) or munson@ksbroadband.net.