December 15, 2016
Apply Now for Hosting Exchangees in 2017
Families interested in hosting a 4-H exchange for the school year beginning in August 2017 being identified in January, 2017 when the first information on students becomes available. This will give the opportunity to indicate preferences before many have been selected. Possibilities include high school students from Japan (Labo or LEX), Korea and Mexico (LEX Mexico) through States’ 4-H Academic Year Program (AYP). They are 15-18 and will attend the local high school for their sophomore, junior or senior year. Families provide food, lodging and transportation. The students’ natural families provide their school and personal expenses. States’ 4-H also has a contract with the U.S. State Department to coordinate students who are part of the FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange) Program which is funded by our government to give students from Eastern European and Eurasian countries, once part of the communist bloc, the opportunity to experience democratic systems while living with U.S. families and attending school. We urge any family (no requirements regarding children’s ages or even having children) who might be interested to contact Mary Kay Munson, State AYP Coordinator, to learn more about State’s 4-H AYP exchanges and get applications and procedures for applying. She is at 785-238-3631 or munson@ksbroadband.net. Information on students who are available to host usually begins arriving at the end of January.
Summer one-month hosting opportunities though States’ 4-H available in 2017 will include 15-18 year olds representing Norway 4H or Costa Rica’s 4-S and 12-15 year olds from Japan (Labo and LEX) or South Korea (Korean 4-H). These families are expected to have a child of the same gender and near the age of the exchangee to serve as host sibling. The Norwegians and Cost Ricans will be in Kansas late June to late July and the Japanese and Koreans will be with Kansas families July 23 August 17. Families can apply now. Go to: http://www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/global-citizenship/host-family-information/index.html, where you will find a link to the States’ 4-H Host Family on line application. Contact Mary Kay Munson about hosting Norwegians, Costa Ricans or South Koreans. Rose Scott may also be contacted at 785-388-2009 or sixtykid2@gmail.com.
Families interested in hosting an IFYE this summer may complete applications now as well. IFYE’s are a little older and are available for 2-3 week hosting periods staying with two or more families throughout the summer. Not all partner countries have been identified yet, but we expect delegates from Austria, Germany, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Taiwan and Wales. We will let interested families know when we get information on this year’s applicants. If families have a gender, hosting time or country preference, it would be to their advantage to complete an application early. Go to the same web page included above for States’ 4-H exchanges, but go to the bottom of the page where IFYE Exchanges are included, and download the fillable pdf. document, save and complete it on your computer. Then email the completed form to Mary Kay Munson, state coordinator. Contact her with any questions at 785-238-3631 or munson@ksbroadband.net.