Principal Stephen Imbusch needs help from the community. Next year, Walpole High School is one of the host schools for students from China and South Korea. However, in order for this program to work, Walpole needs families to volunteer as hosts.
David Harris, the Public School Team Leader for Global Planet Homestay (an educational service company that provides international students who attend American high schools across the country), has been working closely with Mr. Imbusch and Superintendent Lincoln Lynch to start this international student program next year at Walpole High.
Harris’s role is to find students for the program, work with a team to find host families, and support the students during the duration of their day. Offering these students the chance to study in America gives them a variety of opportunities to become familiar with American culture, as well as how the American education system works. Harris said, “Many foreign students have heard about the art programs and the theater programs and other extracurricular activities and want the chance to come experience a new academic environment in the United States.”
Harris is also reaching out to school in Norton, Natick, Mansfield and Providence. He said, “We have received a ton of positive feedback from many of the schools we have contacted. Now it is just a matter of receiving positive community feedback.”
For the 2014-2015 school year, Walpole High has the opportunity to host up to five of these international students to study at the school from September to June, which provides them with the ability to get a good education, and also the ability to learn about what it is like to live in America. Unlike their home school which does not offer sports or extracurriculars, they enjoy participating in American high school life including activities, clubs, and sports.
However, In order for these students to attend Walpole High, this program needs caring and qualified families who are willing to take one of these students into their home. The more families that come forward, the larger this program could potentially be.
Since it can be costly, host families will receive monthly stipends of 800 dollars throughout the school year to cover any of the costs as a result of having another person in the home. Harris said, “Hosting an international student changes the lives of everyone involved.”
Students and hosts also get support from a local Residential Coordinator, and live phone translations are available in case of emergencies from coordinators who are bilingual and bicultural. Anyone is welcome to host a student for one or two semesters, and it is possible to host again the following year. These students usually study in the United States and plan to graduate from an American high school. If you are interested in becoming a host or have any questions about this program, contact info@gphomestay.com.
