Would you like to make memories that will last a life-time? Consider inviting an exchange student into your home for the upcoming school year. Dolores Siik of the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI) is looking for families to host foreign exchange students.

Siik has several foreign students hoping to be matched with host families this fall. This could be a very special year for your family as well as a deserving exchange student.

The CCI academic year program brings international high school students to the U.S. to live with host families for a school semester or a school year. Students study at the local high school and are encouraged to participate in school-sponsored activities, community service, and environmental programs. Students are between 15 and 18 years old, have good English skills, bring spending money, have medical and accident insurance, and are eager to experience life in America.

Host families provide room and board (three meals a day), care and guidance. Students share in household responsibilities as well as leisure activities. Host family responsibilities include providing the student a bed and a personal space, a quiet place to study, transportation (students are not allowed to drive), speaking English in the home, providing parental supervision throughout the program, and showing understanding and patience.

Families that would like to be part of the exchange need to provide references and have a background check. Single-parent and senior families are eligible.

Established in 1985, CCI is a nonprofit international exchange organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, environmental consciousness, and world peace. Based in Chicago, CCI organizes high school exchange, short-term group homestay, internship, volunteer, work and travel, and language study programs in the United States and in more than 30 countries around the world.

To learn more about becoming a host family, contact Dolores Siik at 497-4702 or siikzoo@myfairpoint.net. The Center for Cultural Interchange also has many programs in addition to the student exchange program. You can explore these programs at www.cci-exchange.com.