Ashley Bell, Local Coordinator with CETUSA (middle), supporting exchange students Rayanna (left) and Tuva (right) during basketball cheerleading senior night at Polk County High School. 

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POLK COUNTY—The Council for Educational Travel, USA (CETUSA), a nonprofit organization promoting cultural understanding through international student exchange, is currently seeking host families in Polk County for the 2025–26 school year. Only four spots remain for exchange students to attend Polk County High School, and students must be matched with local families by Aug. 31.

Each year, CETUSA places hundreds of high school students from around the world in American homes, offering them the opportunity to experience U.S. culture and education firsthand. Without a host family, a student cannot attend school or participate in the exchange program.

“This past school year, two students were successfully placed in Polk County and both had overwhelmingly positive experiences with their host families and school,” said Local Coordinator Ashley Bell. “With so few international students currently in the area, CETUSA hopes to bring even more global perspective to local classrooms and homes this year.”

Host families offer a safe, stable, and welcoming environment for high school-aged students. Requirements include a bed (a shared bedroom is acceptable if it’s with a same-gender sibling within three years of age), three meals a day, and transportation to and from school or extracurricular activities, though students may ride the school bus. Families are expected to treat the student as a member of their household.

Students arrive with their own spending money, full medical insurance, and a strong desire to participate in American family and school life. They are carefully screened, speak English, and are eager to engage in community life, school clubs, and sports. Students come from countries around the world, including Germany, Brazil, Italy, and South Korea.

CETUSA emphasizes that host families come in many forms: single adults, retirees, couples without children, and traditional or blended families. The most important qualities are a warm heart and a willingness to share everyday life with a student.

Hosting offers lifelong benefits, according to CETUSA representatives and past host families. It’s a chance to share American culture while learning about another, build global friendships, and help one’s own family grow in empathy and understanding. 

For more information, contact Bell at ashley.bell.coordinator24@gmail.com or call/text (828) 817-4060. Additional details are available at www.cetusa.org.