Foundation Seeking Hosts for International Students

Foreign exchange students from South America, Europe, and Asia are arriving throughout August to attend high schools in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia. Families that host such students often increase their cultural awareness, in matters ranging from food and religion, to sports, politics and the arts.

Concord, VA (PRWEB) August 7, 2006 - Foreign exchange students from South America, Europe, and Asia are arriving this month to attend high schools across the United States, and host families are still needed for the upcoming school year. Exchange programs expose U.S. high schoolers and host families to different worldviews, promoting greater cultural understanding in matters ranging from food and religion, to sports, politics and the arts.

Youth exchange programs started after World War II, when American Field Service nurses introduced German students to the U.S. as a means of facilitating cultural tolerance amid global turmoil, an effort that remains important today. Congress recognized the value of cultural exchange programs beginning in 1963, when the Hayes – Fulbright Act authorized families hosting international students to receive tax deductions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the federal government established the Freedom Support Act, which sponsored thousands of students into the U.S. from the newly independent, largely Muslim states.

International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES) was one of eight nonprofit foundations selected to implement the Freedom Support Act, and the organization has assisted over 10,000 international students since 1991. Throughout August, the foundation will be placing exchange students at high schools in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia.

Families interested in hosting an exchange student for one month, semester, or academic year may call (800) 344-3566 or visit www.icesusa.org for more information. All ICES students are fully covered by health insurance, have access to a counselor 24 hours a day, and provide their own spending money.

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