World Link is searching for families to host foreign exchange students for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Olivia Kahler, a local coordinator for World Link, a Kalona-based nonprofit organization which conducts exchange programs for youth across the world, says families are needed to host students at area high schools including Washington, Keota, Highland, Mid-Prairie and Hillcrest.

Kahler describes World Link’s process for finding housing for international students, “We try to find host families by doing interviews like we’re doing now. We post to social media, we post to a lot of community groups. We send flyers in digital backpacks and Friday folders in various school districts. We forward our flyers to churches, a lot of churches have newsletters or powerpoint slides that play before and after the service.”

Kahler explains an online application can be found at https://worldlinkinc.org/, and after filling that out, prospective host families can search through student profiles to find students they’d be willing to host. Requirements to host a student include providing three meals per day, transportation to and from school, a study space, and a bed with a frame. A background check is also required for all adults in host families.

To hear more from Kahler about the program, tune in to next Monday’s In Touch With Southeast Iowa Program.