Through the Forte International Exchange Association, three local families are currently hosting a student who is attending Clear Fork High School. Joanna and Patrick Bailey are hosting Miguel Valverde, a tenth grader from Spain. Chris and Kelly Shinabarker have welcomed Pilar Martinez-Falero a tenth grader also from Spain. Additionally, Rob and Missy McConkie are host family to Pam Rungphakdeesawat, a junior from Thailand.
The program provides a mutual exchange of cultures.
Local Forte representative and Area Director Wanda Denman believes the benefits of hosting foreign students reaches beyond the host family and the student.
“People who do this want a sense of world peace,” said Denman.
Sharing her thoughts about the mission behind the organization to connect students and families and in a sense bring the world together Denman said,“It’s important for people to learn one on one.” She added, “Some of the students would otherwise never get the opportunity to travel and experience a whole new world, we bring the world to them.”
Though her first visit to the United States has just begun with the new school year, learning the culture and language is an exciting time for Martinez-Falero. On her her first impression of Clear Fork High School, she said “I like it a lot, there is a big difference from high school back in Spain.”
For example, in Spain students do not move from class to class as students do at Clear Fork. Falero explained that in Spain the students report to one classroom and it is the teachers that rotate as each subject is taught. Falero says she enjoys being a part of the tennis team and Science club.
Thailand exchange student Rungphakdeesawat commented that in her country there are no lockers in the school and that the school buses are not yellow. She also added that joining the choir and FFA has helped her to make friends.
Valverde an exchange student also from Spain says he enjoys Friday night football, his teachers. He is active in soccer, tennis and the Science Club. “Everyone is very nice,” Valerdesaid. He also added he enjoys the variety of fast food, new friends and music.
Joanna Bailey host mother to Valverde said she and her husband became involved with Forte after they were contacted by Denman.
“I hope he [Miguel] senses the love of our family and has a great time with the kids,” Bailey said.
Isaiah Bailey also a tenth grader at Clear Fork said,”I love it; it’s like having a best friend with me at home.”
The McConkie family also were contacted by Denman in hopes that they would consider the opportunity to become a host family. “She [Denman] said she contacted us partially because she felt our horse farm would be a good experience for a student,” said McConkie.
Rungphakdeesawat’s host mother Missy McConkie commented, “She [Pam] loves the horses and is blending in very well.”
Kelly Shinabarker said her inspiration to become a host family was influenced by her daughter Ellie. Ellie, who is a tenth grader at Clear Fork, is studying Spanish and has already completed three levels. When presented with the opportunity and a profile of a student from Spain, Shinabarker believed it would be a great opportunity to not only help open the world up to the exchange student, but to also, in exchange, bring Spain and its language to her daughter.
“She [Martinez-Falero] is a very sweet girl. We love having her,” said Shinabarker. She also added, “I would do it again, it’s a great experience for the student and the host family.”
The process in becoming a host family involves a network of families and representatives working together, reaching out to potential families. Those interested submit an application are then contacted by a Forte representative. An in-home interview is a part of the process. The potential hosts are provided profiles of students that includes expressing their interests and hobbies. and new to the process, a letter written by the student describing what they hope to gain from their experience.
In the best interests of both family and student and in order to provide the best possible learning experience, host family and student are connected. The students then arrive on what is referred to as a J1 visa to attend one school year with their host family.
“We want them [host families] to have a heart, to love the children as their own,” said Denman.
Denman and her husband Ron had spent over 28 years as local representatives for Tupperware and retired over 21 years ago. They first got involved with Forte as a host family about ten years ago. Denman quickly became a connection between other host families and devoted full-time effort to being a local representative and becoming the area director.
This past Sunday evening at the Saint Luke’s Point of Grace Church on Marion Avenue West in Mansfield Forte International held an orientation and welcoming dinner for the students placed in Richland County. A total of 17 students were placed this year at schools across Richland County, three of which are attending Clear Fork High School. The event is a time for students to be welcomed, as well as for host families to meet and share and learn what to expect as a host family.
Denman noted that each year the exchange program grows and she hopes to see that trend continue as she believes by simply opening the door for a student allows every family to open their home to the world.
She also added that the experience, although for only one school year, stays with that student and family for a lifetime.
Forte International is located in Virginia at 7115 Leesburg Pikefalls Church but has local representatives across the nation.
For those interested in becoming a host family visit www.forteexchange.org or you may contact local representative Wanda Denman at her email wandad@ forteexchange.org or call 419 589-6892.
