Teacher seeks families to host teens from Spain during July

A Bishop England High School Spanish teacher is searching for American families willing to open their homes to a teen from Spain through the month of July.

Jennie Santucci, a Summer Exchange Program management coordinator, will lead an English immersion program for students of Barling, a private academy in Madrid, Spain.

About 10 male and female students ages 14-16 are looking for host homes, that would provide room and board. Students would be busy 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Hosts would be required to provide meals for students and bring them to Seacoast Church, 750 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, where students would take lessons.

Santucci said the program is a good opportunity for people interested in learning about other cultures or who want to practice Spanish. Santucci became involved in the program while teaching English at Barling. Students will need a place to call home from June 28 to July 26.

Interested families can contact Barling at 901-338-0775 or e-mail jenniesantucci@yahoo.com. Barling will then meet with families and match them with students.

Host responsibilities include:

--Filling out host family interview form. This includes information such as family, home and pet data, expected chores, routines and activities. This interview provides essential information for the exchange student and his or her family.

--One Spanish student will live with their host family for four weeks. The families are on a volunteer basis and preferably the students will be matched with others of similar ages, although this is not a necessary condition.

--Host homes will provide transportation to and from a central location. Transportation and carpooling can be arranged with other participating host families.

--Families that have travel plans during this time, but would like to house a student can likely work out a temporary place for the student to stay.