Area schools are looking for host families for foreign exchange students for the upcoming school year. Organizer Walt Stutzman says there’s a pool of several students from around the world they’re trying to place. He’s looking to place two students in Highland, one at Mid-Prairie, and one at the Iowa Mennonite School. He added in order for students to be placed at IMS, they must get permission from their parents to attend the Christian school. However, he said they’ve had a Muslim student attend the school in the past. To be a host family, the requirements are to live in the school district and have a full bedroom available with a bed and place to study. He added the hosts don’t have to have students in the school.

Stutzman encourages families to give it a try, saying it gives the host family experience with a foreign culture, with the opportunity to learn about their student’s home. It also helps educate the student on how America really works, as well as what our lifestyles are like in contrast to how it’s depicted in world news. They need to have the host families set up before the students can come, but he’s placed students as late as the first week of August. For more information, contact Stutzman at 319-461-1462.