Meet Our Students

Meet Klaudia, a winner of the prestigious FLEX scholarship! Klaudia is a girl that loves nature. Fishing, hiking, nighttime walks and cycling are all things she does with her family regularly. Klaudia also enjoys going to motorcycle meets and on rides, especially in the summer when the weather is nice and warm all day. In addition to being outside Klaudia says that books and music have a special place in her heart. She is ready to experience different things, be part of a different culture and meet new people. Hopefully make friendships that will last forever!

Meet Riccardo! A 16 year old from Italy who lives with his parents and one younger brother. Riccardo is a worker! He has experienced many different jobs from babysitting, tutoring, and refereeing basketball games. He has also worked as a YouTube video writer and is starting a YouTube channel. Riccardo isn’t all about work though as he is passionate about basketball and playing the piano. He would love to make music together as a family. He also loves to cook…passion passed down by his father. He is looking forward to the opportunity to cook together with his host family, share his recipes, and learn new recipes. Riccardo has a tight group of 5 friends who are all very excited for his new experience, and he is looking forward to making more friends for life. He is excited about spending a year in the US driven by his desire to immerse himself in the American culture, and to learn from it’s diversity. He is looking forward to the journey of discovery, of friendship, and learning both from his host family, and from his future classmates.

It is a pleasure to introduce 16-year-old Luise from Berlin Germany. Family and friends describe her as interested, curious, friendly, ambitious, and helpful. This impressive young lady is a CBYX scholarship student looking forward to sharing her German culture and heritage with her host family and community here in the United States. She loves her two younger siblings very much and enjoys playing music together with her family. Her mom is an elementary school and music teacher and her dad also plays the violin. Her parents live separately now, but maintain a close relationship living only just down the street from each other. Luise's hobbies include playing the piano and violin, music, reading, drawing, sports, and cooking. She has been playing the violin since she was 6 years old. She often helps her younger sister who is learning the instrument. She plays pop, jazz, and soul in her school's piano band, and signs in the school choir. Coming to the States on exchange has been a dream of hers since she was a little girl. "The people there have roots in cultures from all over the world. I think therefore people are open minded to different cultures and in my eyes the US has therefore become the country of freedom and creativity."

Meet Eillen, an only child from Taiwan. Eillen has been involved in many artistic pursuits such as performing at the National Concert Hall, winning the National Art Competition, and performing French horn at the Vienna Music Festival. She thinks music clubs are important but wants to try many new things during her exchange year. She wants to join a school club or sports team in the U.S. and explore some of her interests. She is excited to have the opportunity to join your family, to interact and connect with everyone, and to build deep connections together. Whether it's the daily routines of going to and from school, sharing household chores or participating in various family activities.

Meet Celia, a winner of a prestigious scholarship in Spain. This bubbly girl has a variety of interests that will be a great match for any family. Her favorite pastime is her dance group that she is a part of. Apart from dancing she enjoys playing video games with her brother, volleyball, and has recently become interested in Formula 1 racing. Celia is excited to share her Spanish culture, gastronomy and family traditions with you!

Please say hello to Zen, a girl from Thailand who describes herself as a friendly girl. She enjoys reading novels and comics, and says she really loves listening to all kinds of music. She loves sports, especially basketball and volleyball. She loves spending time with her family playing board games and horror movies. She feels especially close to her little brother; her family includes 3 boys and 2 girls, and she grew up with her little brother. She says that she excels at Math and Science. She says she enjoys spending time with her friends, but that spending time with her family is more important to her.

Amanda is a special girl from Latvia, and she loves to read. She writes that she and her friends will read the same books and that they love to talk about what they have read. She said she also enjoys playing games, watching movies, and taking road trips with her family. She loves animals, volleyball, baking, and astronomy. She said she loves looking at the stars at night. She said she likes Math and Chemistry. She describes herself as a bit of a picky eater and said that some textures and tastes don’t agree with her.

Meet Elisa, who lives with her parents, sister, and dog in France. Elisa describes herself as motivated, dynamic, ambitious, and cheerful. She loves spending time with her family, and together they enjoy traveling, visiting museums, and going to the theater. After visiting NYC five years ago, Elisa just knew she wanted to come back to the United States as an exchange student. She enjoys school, with her favorite classes being math, physics, and technology. Her teachers find her serious and pleasant. When not studying, Elisa enjoys horseback riding, but also likes to dance and ski. She is also very passionate about scouting. Elisa looks forward to meeting you and is excited for her year of discovery in the United States!

Looking for a student that loves technology and cars? Hannah is the student for you! Hannah has an interest in technology, namely automotive engineering. She has built a small racing car out of two wooden boards, an engine and a metal rod. Currently she is working on a project controlling and programming small vehicles. In addition to technology Hannah has a love for animals. Her family pets include a dog, turtle, fish, rabbits and guinea pigs. Hannah also enjoys being active. She plays on a competitive handball team, and she especially loves her dog who goes on runs with her. Hannah is ready to dive into American culture and thanks your family in advance for welcoming her!

"Think of me as an artist ready to splash some Taiwanese spice into your life." Luo-Jhen is a bright, resilient, positive Taiwanese student who will be in 10th grade this upcoming school year. Please do not miss the opportunity to read her Host Family Letter! It is oozing with excitement and gratitude. Her words are equally poetic and sprightly; clearly her love of reading has inspired and shaped her. Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are among her favorites. She also enjoys playing tennis and cherishes the perseverance, team spirit, and leadership skills it has taught her. Her family consists of her mom, dad, twin sister, and younger sister. Together they love traveling and playing board games. Luo-Jhen is no stranger to the exchange process; her family welcomed an American student just last year. The experience opened her eyes to embrace different cultures and lifestyles. When her family moved to China, she attended an American international school where she learned to navigate language barriers, and new friendships, resulting in her adaptability and resilience. She envisions her year in exchange to be filled with growth, laughter, and shared experiences.