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Community Corner

Roll Out the Welcome Mat to a YFU Teen Exchange Student!

Eighty Oakland County families rolled out the welcome mat to YFU exchange students in the year just completed.  Can you enjoy this opportunity in the coming year?

Youth for Understanding is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization which has been placing exchange students for 61 years.  Right now, YFU is looking for some welcoming families to host exchange students for the 2012-2013 school year.  Here are some of the boys and girls coming to Oakland County in August (until the following June).  Families provide a place to live and meals, plus encouragement, guidance, love and limits.  The students pay for their other expenses and become a true family member sharing in the real life fun and responsibilities of the family.  Call Barb Kilkka at 248-932-0811 (Kilkka@yfu.org) to ask for more details on these boys and girls (and others).  All kinds of families host from all ethnic and educational backgrounds, different family configurations with and without children at home.  Elementary and middle school host siblings are among the greatest beneficiaries of the program.   Here are just some of the kids headed to Oakland County homes.  Maybe yours?

  • Monika, 16, Denmark, a popular girl who loves piano, painting, skiing, martial arts and other sports.
  • Yamaly, 16, from Mexico enjoys volleyball, choir, horseback riding, young children, and volunteering.  She is Jewish and follows the dietary rules.
  • Annabell, 16, German girl who loves singing and dancing.  Member of a choir.  Sports:  swimming, biking, skiing.   Tutors young kids in Spanish.  Aspires for career in law.
  • Victor, 15, Brazil, great sense of humor, avid sportsman who loves basketball, soccer, but also tennis, swimming, LOVES pets, wants to be a chemistry teacher.
  • Michael, 15, a German boy scout who enjoys sports, volunteering for the Red Cross, and playing the drums in his church band.  Wants to live in a host family who attends church.
  • Shiori, 17, a Japanese girl who loves to sing and would like to be part of a choir during her exchange year.
  • Jae, 16, from Korea who is just bonkers about soccer.  He loves to play it, watch it, talk about it, read about it.  You name it!
  • PLUS more!

Call Barb Kilkka at 248-932-0811, Kilkka@yfu.org for information about hosting and for detailed profiles and letters of these boys and girls or to receive the list of other students available.

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