We welcome this years foreign exchange students!
Philipp Schellhammer, Trine Svendsen, Katharina Ost, and Rachel Moulin
This year Clarkson participated in the foreign exchange program again. Clarkson works with the EF Foundation to handle foreign exchange opportunities. It is a long process to host a child. First, families from Clarkson had to come forward and volunteer for a child to be in their care. If everything is approved, the EF Foundation presents the families with children that have the same interests as them. The family will get a few different choices in the children they choose to host. Then, the offer must be accepted by the child the family chose.
Before the child can come to America, they must learn English and take a standardized test to see where they stand with the language. Students also have a few options as to where they want to go. They could go to a small or large town or a specific state of their choice. They have a choice to stay for a half or a whole year.
Once they are in America, the student must take certain classes. The EF Foundation requires them to take American History, an English class, and a study hall. The student's home school may also require them to take certain classes while they are in America.
Students and their host parents have regular meetings with the EF Foundation. In the meetings they discuss how to cope with homesickness and other challenges they may face.
This year Clarkson is hosting 4 students from Europe. Philipp, Rachel, Trine, and Katharina. Philipp is a young man from Germany and is staying with Allyn and Karen Papousek. Rachel is from Switzerland and is being hosted by Dale and Mary Novak. Trine is from Norway and is staying with Duane and Pat Johnson. Katharina is also from Germany and is staying with Kevin and Trina Brabec. All 4 students are staying the whole school year.
Article by Emily Schnelle