Meet Our Students

Hi! I’m Aleksa, a high school student from a lively town in Serbia, where I live with my parents and grandpa. I’m passionate about learning, especially in areas like electronics, photography, and technology—interests I picked up from my grandpa, an electrician, and my dad, a photographer. Since starting high school at an electrical engineering school in a bigger city, I’ve been living in a dorm, which has taught me a lot about independence and responsibility. I enjoy building projects, coding, and staying active through calisthenics, basketball, and the occasional adventure with friends—like ice skating, even though we weren’t great at it! In my quiet moments, I love stargazing and astrophotography. SpaceX’s innovation really inspires me, and I’ve even built a model aircraft that can take off vertically and fly forward. I’m excited to experience American culture, share my own, and become part of a host family. I’m looking forward to making new memories, learning new things, and building strong connections along the way.

David is a friendly and open-minded 16-year-old eager to become part of a welcoming host family. He values family connections, enjoys meaningful conversations, and is always ready to learn from different cultures. Active and social, David plays volleyball, loves spending time with friends, and has a deep passion for food—always excited to try new flavors. He also enjoys gaming and collecting Pokémon cards, showcasing his curiosity and enthusiasm. Having visited the USA before, David loved exploring new places, meeting kind people, and trying pickleball for the first time. While he may start off shy, he quickly warms up, becoming an engaging and helpful presence. David hopes to improve his language skills, gain independence, and share his German culture while embracing new experiences. Hosting him means welcoming a respectful, curious young man ready to enrich your home with meaningful connections and shared adventures.

More information to follow.

Léa, a 17-year-old student from a charming village in France, radiates warmth and positivity. Growing up in a loving environment with her mother, grandparents, and three cherished cats, she has developed strong values and a cheerful personality. Currently in the STMG program, focused on economics, law, and communication, Léa is passionate about working with people and creating memorable experiences. She has lead groups of children during holidays—a role she thrives in with her natural leadership and enthusiasm. Léa loves skiing, the mountains, the beach, and traveling, finding joy in nature and adventure. Eager to immerse herself in American culture, she dreams of celebrating traditions like Thanksgiving while sharing her French heritage through cuisine and language. Léa’s social, spontaneous, and thoughtful nature promises a delightful cultural exchange filled with laughter, discovery, and unforgettable moments for her host family. You will not regret choosing her as your host student!

Meet Juste, a 10th grade student from Lithuania who is full of energy, curiosity, and a deep love for connecting with others. Her friends often describe her as empathetic, talkative, and full of life — someone who always brings positive energy into a room. Juste is the middle child in a close-knit family with two sisters, one older and one younger. She shares a strong bond with both her parents. With her mother, she loves spending time in the kitchen cooking and having heart-to-heart conversations. Her dad is the one who introduced her to billiards and the music of his youth, which played a huge role in shaping her current taste in music. She also loves her animals, she has a dog, cat and fish. Juste has always enjoyed exploring new hobbies. She’s tried everything from skateboarding to kickboxing to handicrafts, but the passions that have truly stuck are dance, music, and photography. She has been taking piano lessons for several years and many of her friends are very interested in music, she is even making a music video for her friends' band. Photography has become one of her greatest passions and she has even had some of her work published. She’s also a fan of movies and a frequent reader, especially of books in English. Ever since her first concert in 2019, she fell in love with the thrill of live music and hopes to have the opportunity to attend a concert in the US. She loves exploring her city and discovering new places. For Juste, spending a year in the United States would be more than just an exciting adventure — it would be a life-changing experience. She’s eager to see what American high school life is like, from new classes and school spirit to traditions like homecoming and prom. But more than anything, she’s looking forward to becoming part of a host family’s world — sharing her culture, creating new memories, and truly experiencing life in a new community. She hopes this year will help her discover more about herself, make lasting friendships, and return home with stories she’ll never forget.

Oybek is a FLEX Scholarship student from Uzbekistan! He describes himself as an extrovert who enjoys football and debate. He established a Debate Club, where he practices public speaking and improvisation, and he co-founded the SpeakEasy Club to improve English and public speaking skills. He also serves as an IELTS Mock Speaking Examiner, helping others practice their speaking abilities. Oybek writes: “My friends would describe me as extroverted, energetic, goal-oriented, and a good conversationalist.” He said he wants to study economics or business management. He is allergic to orchard grass.

Nurazim comes from a large family, he has three brothers and one sister. He enjoys spending time with his family, as they are very close. As a family, they enjoy playing board games and being in the outdoors, hiking. One of his greatest passions is playing the Dombyra, this is the national instrument of Kazakhstan. He has been playing since he was 13 years old. “When I play, I feel our culture come alive.” This is something he desires to share with his host family. He describes himself as very active. He enjoys the sports of soccer and table tennis. He hopes to have a future studying engineering, where he can create something new to help society. He looks forward to the opportunity that exchange will bring him in making a connection with a close-knit family on the other side of the world. He knows that this exchange experience will help unify Kazakhstan’s and the United States in understanding more of one another's cultures and traditions.

Shahzada, (17), YES scholarship recipient, is from a small-town rich in history in Pakistan. Although he is an only child, he is from a large family and would be eager to have American siblings. Shahzada is quite helpful at home, assisting with various chores. He enjoys playing Ludo, a traditional Pakistani board game, with his family, and is passionate about sports like cricket, volleyball, and football. He also participates actively in academic group activities focused on English and Business studies. Public speaking is another area of interest for him; he shares, “I would like to share my life story. In my early years, I lacked confidence and was shy, avoiding discussions and hesitating to express myself. My mother played a vital role in helping me gain confidence and broaden my perspective. Gradually, I began to engage in classroom activities. Fast forward to 2023, I emerged as a regional level speech winner.” Shahzada aspires to pursue a professional career in international relations and economics.

Meet Halima, a recipient of the prestigious YES Scholarship. Halima is a responsible young woman who helps at home by doing meal prep, washing dishes, helping with the laundry, and feeding their pets. Halima says she has a great relationship with her family, and she loves spending time with them going on many adventures. Halima loves reading books, especially fiction novels, she says reading helps develop her vocabulary and adds so many experiences to her studies. With her friends Halima enjoys playing basketball and volleyball. While in the US Halima hopes she will have the opportunity to participate in basketball at her high school. Halima feels that when you experience a different culture through educational exchange you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you and strengthen international relationships. Halima is looking forward to her year with your family!

Meet Andrey from Kazakhstan! He is the recipient of the prestigious “Future Leaders Exchange Program” scholarship. Andrey has lots of friends and enjoys doing different activities with each of them. He has run in marathons with some friends and participated in an eco-club with other friends. Andrey is very active and especially enjoys volleyball and swimming. He is very interested in astronomy and eco-problems and enjoys writing about them. Andrey has a cat that he enjoys taking care of. He also enjoys reading books and gardening at his country home. Andrey wants to expand and share his interculturalism, to pass on his knowledge and experience, and to develop as a person. He is looking forward to meeting his new host family and spending a year in an American High School.