High School Students Learn About Other Cultures

Each year thousands of high schools around the country invite Foreign Exchange students to attend their school.

Last school year, in the Clearwater area, Dunedin High School students went to school with a girl from Thailand. This school year, in Tampa, Alonso High School students have classmates from Italy, Brazil and Denmark.

Also this school year, Manatee High School and Manatee School of the Arts each have a classmate from Spain. This gives the students at all of these schools the opportunity to learn about other cultures and have friends from a far away land.

International student exchange is an educational tool that benefits all students who share their classroom or school with an international visitor. Foreign students challenge their classmates with a different perspective of the world, and act as insightful resources on current events and the understanding of different cultures.

The success of the International Academic Exchange programs started after World War II as an important element of US diplomacy, as well as fostering peace and International understanding.

The State Department of the USA requires all Host Families be volunteers.  PAX-Program of Academic Exchange places students from around the world with host families in our area. Host families help to make dreams come true when they “adopt” a son or daughter from another country for the school year, bringing joy & inspiration to their host families. Students come with their own expense money & insurance.

Academic Exchange students are excited to embrace learning everything they can about the American lifestyle and strengthen their English, along with teaching our community about their culture. Host families get the opportunity to make a positive difference in a young life from another part of the world, while learning about another culture, often making a life time friend.

For more information about hosting a Foreign Exchange student next school year, please contact Karen at 727-329-8060.