Meet Our Students

Lucia (17) is a warm, outgoing, humorous, and friendly girl from Italy, where she lives with her mom, dad, and sister. Her host family letter is a delightful read! While she doesn’t have any pets, she loves both cats and dogs, and her favorite animal is the giraffe. Lucia has a deep love for music! It helps her navigate her emotions, from sadness to excitement. She enjoys singing, claiming she may not be good at it. Her interests also include going to the cinema; she has watched over 450 movies, proudly declaring, “I’m a real ‘Potterhead.’” Additionally, she loves theater and plays the guitar. Twice a week, Lucia tutors a middle school boy. Lucia is eager to come to America because, as she puts it, “I want to experience everything about America: food, culture, school, etc. I believe this experience would greatly broaden my perspective and help me become more independent.” Although she is unsure about her career path after graduation, she envisions a job related to languages, advertising, communication, and meeting new people.

Meet Mattia from Italy! He is a fun, outgoing 16-year-old from a small town in Italy! You’ll usually find him at the gym, out with friends, or catching a movie and grabbing sushi. Mattia started out playing soccer but later followed in his dad’s footsteps and played basketball competitively for three years. Even though he doesn’t play anymore, he still stays close to the game by refereeing. It's a job he really enjoys, and it doesn’t hurt that it earns him a little extra cash! He’s a huge NBA fan and is a Detroit Pistons supporter. Even he’s not sure how that happened! At home, Mattia helps with cleaning and gardening and admits he’s not much of a cook. He loves exploring with his family and learning about new cultures. Mattia can’t wait to experience American life, make new friends, and share a bit of his Italian world along the way.

Asia is a bright and friendly student from Italy with a big heart and an even bigger enthusiasm for new experiences. She shares a special bond with her older brother, who has always been her greatest cheerleader. Asia loves spending time at the gym with her mom, sketching in her free moments, and curling up with a good romantic book or TV series. Music is a daily companion for her, offering a moment of calm and reflection. She has a passion for cooking—especially desserts for her brother—and enjoys preparing traditional Italian favorites like carbonara. Asia has always dreamed of experiencing life in the U.S. She’s excited to share her culture, embrace new traditions, and become part of an American family’s daily life.

Arianna, 16, from Italy lives with her family, which includes her mom, dad, brother, and their beloved dog, Lola, an Australian Shepherd, she loves animals. Her little brother is her favorite person. She describes herself as a funny girl, who loves talking, making new friendships and new experiences. Arianna has a deep passion for cooking, particularly when it comes to baking cookies. Her other interests include theatre, bicycling, listening to pop music, traveling and exploring new places and watching movies (her favorite genre is horror). Ari loves children and has worked as an entertainer at a summer camp for the past two years. She has also tried various sports, including dance, swimming, basketball, tennis, and gymnastics, with tennis being her favorite, she played for six years. After high school, Arianna dreams of becoming an au pair in the United States. She chose to participate in an exchange program to share Italian culture with her American family and community by cooking traditional dishes. Additionally, she aims to become more independent and improve her English skills. Although she is uncertain about her future, Arianna knows she loves working with children and envisions a career as a teacher. That's all from Italy for now, looking forward to meeting you!

Meet Ludovica, everyone calls her Ludo! She is 16 and lives in a popular tourist town in Italy. Ludo has one older sister who was also an exchange student. So, she had the great stories and memories from her sister and wants to create her own adventure and memories with an amazing host family here in the USA. Ludo is an athlete and has been playing volleyball since she was six years old. Her passion for the sport allows her to challenge herself and strive to do better. Ludo ski's each winter in Italy, has played tennis and done gymnastic in the past. It is clear that Ludo has such a creative imagination, especially with her drawings and her paintings. She has found that drawing clears her mind and opens up imaginary thinking. Ludo is a family orientated person, whether it be playing board games with everyone, completing puzzles, or winding down to watch with family a good old fashion horror movie. Ludo loves participating in volunteer opportunities. She understands kids and loves being able to create fun activities for them. Ludo has a soft heart for animals, she loves cats, dogs and even helps take care of horses. Becoming a doctor to save lives is her lifelong goal. She has a plan and wants to excel at it to be successful in the future. Ludo loves just being a funny and excited teenage girl. It is important to Ludo that she gets to be a part of her host family daily life. Whether it be hanging out at home playing Uno, helping cook or participating in any family outings. Ludo is very open minded with wanting to learn new cultures all while making new friends. Be a part of Ludo's future memories!

Martina (Marti) is a sunny, animal-loving student from Italy who’s passionate about understanding people and their behavior. She studies human sciences, rides horses competitively, and enjoys skiing, gymnastics, and cooking homemade pizza with her Dad. When she was 10, she spoke with a girl who had just returned from an exchange year in the U.S.—and from that moment, it became her dream to do the same. Now, she’s excited to finally make it happen! Marti looks forward to learning about American culture, making new friends, and growing through this experience. She hopes to be part of a warm, welcoming family and can’t wait to share laughter, traditions, and everyday life together. If you're looking for a joyful, curious, and caring student to share your home and heart with—Marti is ready to become part of your family.

Tyrah is an energetic and creative student from Australia with a love for adventure, teamwork, and connection. She’s passionate about cheerleading, where she’s learned the value of dedication, positivity, and teamwork. Music and baking are big parts of her life—she plays electric guitar, experiments with new recipes, and finds joy in sharing what she makes with others. Tyrah is excited to experience new cultures, make lasting friendships, and bring her positive spirit, curiosity, and kindness to every new opportunity.

Ruben is a cheerful and curious 16-year-old from a beautiful Italian island known for its beaches and warm hospitality. He comes from a close-knit family that shares a love for travel and discovering new cultures. Ruben is passionate about basketball, sport diving, and all things tech—he’s especially drawn to computer science and big philosophical questions. He’s the kind of person who laughs easily, lives fully, and brings positive energy wherever he goes. Ruben has G6PD deficiency, a common and manageable condition that simply means avoiding a few specific foods and medications—his care is easy and well-understood. If you’re looking for a student who’s thoughtful, adventurous, and ready to embrace your family’s way of life, Ruben would love to discover it with you.

Meet Marly from Germany! She is always ready and prepared for her next adventure in life. Marly loves to find humor in situations and honesty is important to her. She is athletic and currently rides horses. She has been riding since she was very young. She used to own a horse and knows how to take care of them. When she is not riding horses, she plays tennis or at the gym working out. Marly just like her mom, loves kids. She babysits in her free time, hangs out with friends, and she loves going to her local soccer games. Marly has a family of 3 besides herself. Her mom, dad and older sister love to travel to other countries and learn new cultures. Both her mother and sister were exchange students in the USA. She has heard such good stories and even has met the host families of both her mom and her sister. Let’s help Marly continue the family tradition and follow her dreams.

Meet Lalitpat, but you can call her Hoya. Her nickname, Hoya, comes from a tree with heart-shaped leaves that reminds her family of love and happiness. Friends describe her as kind, funny, and easy to talk to. She enjoys dancing, playing guitar, listening to music, doing makeup, and helping around the house by watering plants and washing dishes. Hoya practices English every day with her online teacher and is excited to use what she’s learned while living with her host family. A big fan of Blackpink, one of her happiest memories was attending their World Tour concert. Hoya wants to become an exchange student to learn more about herself through new experiences, become more independent and responsible, and grow as a person. She looks forward to sharing Thai culture, learning about American life, and creating wonderful memories with her host family.