Being an Area Rep is all about being exposed to and learning about foreign cultures in a way that creates life long friendships with young people from all over the world. If that excites you, then read further to learn about what its like to be an Area Rep for one of the country?s leading international student exchange organizations, STS Foundation.

As an Area Rep you will be the STS Foundation representative in your community and its environs. This involves contacting and working with friends, neighbors, church staff and school officials to place high school exchange students in schools and with host families.

It starts when you go to the STS Foundation website and review the photographs and biographical sketches of students from Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. After choosing a few students to place, you should download their  files and pay a visit to your local high school.

The first objective is find out from the Principal or Asst Principal how many slots they have available for exchange students and to request 2, 3 or 4 slots for your students. Once you have been awarded your school slots you are ready to find a home for your students.

That?s when you start talking to friends, neighbors and church members about the student exchange program and inviting them to host a student. With host family candidates selected, your primary responsibility will be to visit each of the homes to insure a proper environment and then to check out the three references each family must provide. Once the screening is complete, you work with each family to help them select their student(s).

And that?s it! You?ve placed students and the exchange program is underway. And you get paid for each placement.
As the school year progresses, Area Reps must monitor the progress of each of his/her students and submit a brief report on a monthly basis to STS Foundation for transmittal to the natural family.

Another dimension of this program is the Area Rep?s involvement in the student?s development. Many Area Reps organize and conduct weekend trips for those students who are interested to nearby attractions such as  Disney World, Yellowstone National Park  or San Diego Zoo. (Students pay their own way)  Or it could be as simple as a backyard bar-b-que.  

Sound interesting? Give us a call or send us an e-mail or simply fill out the online Area Representative application.

If you need to submit a CBC background check please do so here.

Download the Area Representative Training Program