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We hope you enjoyed April as much as we did! It was an eventful month for ICES. We celebrated this year's accomplishments at our annual conference and are excited to share more touching student and host family highlights with you! So sit back, relax, and delve into these stories of cross-cultural connections.

ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

The ICES Annual Conference was held in Orlando, FL this month. We are excited to share some photos of this year's award winners! We are so grateful to be a part of such a dedicated and passionate team. Thank you all for your commitment and for your contributions to the ICES community.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS 🏅

Jakob Mueller from Germany (in blue) running at his track meet at Clinton Massie High School in Clarksville, OH

Cecilia from Italy (in green) won awards in both the Singles and Doubles divisions in her tennis matches for C Byrd High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She was even featured in the local newspaper!

Cecilia is living with her host mom and dad, Cheri and Russell Sandy, as well as with her exchange sister Ronja from Finland, in Nutter Fort, WV. The Sandy's have successfully hosted six exchange students with ICES.

WE 🤍 OUR HOST FAMILIES

The St Louis family, Ocoee, Florida on hosting Jiyun from South Korea

"I enjoy hosting especially being blessed with the most beautiful, funny, amazing, respectful, smart, and incredible young lady, Jiyun, who came from South Korea. I don't have any other words than wow. Jiyun has blessed the family with love. Everyone around loves her. She enjoys outdoor and activities. We love her so much."

We are beyond grateful to all our amazing host families! Every year, we are impressed by the generosity and warmth that you show our exchange students. Are you interested in hosting again? We are currently looking for host families for next year's students!

HELPFUL RESOURCES ON THE BLOG

Preparing for Study Abroad: Tips for a Smooth Transition

You’ve settled on a study abroad program and just wrapped your head around how far you’ll be from home for the next few months or even a year. Now what?

Prepare for Study Abroad

Exploring the World Through American Cinema

Here's a curated list of American movies with international flair that have captivated audiences both at home and abroad.

Multicultural Movies

How Hosting an Exchange Student Fosters Empathy

Hosting an exchange student is just one of many ways to foster empathy at home. How can hosting help your family take empathy to the next level?

Foster Empathy