[Mn-parents] Blind Exchange Student Looking for Host Family

[Steve Jacobson]

The following was sent to me and other State Rehabilitation Council - Blind
members by Carol Pankow, Director, Minnesota State Services for the Blind. 
  
From:
Mary Armstrong [ 
mailto:armstrong.mary at me.com 
] 
Sent:
Thursday, March 31, 2016 8:39 PM
To:
SSB, Info (DEED) < 
ssb.info at state.mn.us>
Subject:
Please Share Announcement to Blind Community - Host Family sought for Blind
Exchange student 
 
Dear MN State Services for the Blind Staff -
I am approaching the MN State Services for the Blind with a unique
opportunity that may interest the blind community, and would ask that you
might share this announcement out to the blind community. 
 
I am a volunteer  Local Coordinator for a high school foreign exchange
program called CCI Greenheart (a nonprofit agency that works in the field of
high school foreign exchange with an emphasis on being green/volunteer
service), as well as being a mom to a vision impaired young adult.  As such,
I sometimes receive requests from our headquarters to place unusual exchange
students with special needs.  My office knows that I am somewhat connected
to the blind community in the Twin Cities, so I am reaching out to you!  
 This year (2016/2017) we have an exchange student, Yelyzaveta (girl from
Ukraine) who is blind.  I am searching for a volunteer host family who is
not intimidated by the idea of hosting a young lady from Ukraine who would
be arriving in August and staying through early June.  She would attend the
local public high school where the host family is identified, and I think it
would be great to see if she might be able to volunteer and be exposed to
some of the services at Blind Inc.  The Twin Cities would be a great place
for her!
 Some general Information:
 I am hoping to share an announcement out in the blind community about the
need for a volunteer host family for Yelyzaveta, a 16 year old girl from
Ukraine.  Yelyzaveta enjoys music and singing in a choir.  She plays a
traditional Ukrainian folk instrument, and enjoys cooking, gardening, and
reading.  A volunteer host family provides a room, meals and a caring
environment for her while she attends school for the academic school year.
She is part of a US State Department sponsored scholarship program called
the FLEX program, which is a merit scholarship awarded based on English
ability, academics, and personal interviews.  Yelyzaveta is required to
perform volunteer service while on program, and she also will attend a
special disability prep program provided by MIUSA to help her prepare for
the exchange experience in the US.  
 
All of our host families complete an on-line application including criminal
background checks, photos, references, and an in-home interview.  Host
families must be at least 26 years old, and be able to provide
transportation to CCI events approximately once every 4-6 weeks.  Students
speak English, have medical insurance, and their own spending money. They
also receive some additional funds to cover incidentals and necessary school
books (such as Braille books) as part of the program.  As a Local
Coordinator, I provide enhancement activities, orientations, and support
services throughout the student's stay on program.  There's a 24 hour
emergency hotline in case of any problems concerning health or safety of the
student.
 
Last year we have a tremendously successful blind student on program named
Vladimir (Russia).  He was an outstanding example of a successful seeing
impaired student.  He tried everything from the swim team to wrestling,
although he had never done it before.  I am hoping that by reaching out to
y'all that maybe someone might be interested in learning more about the
program, and that someone might be able to open their home to this
exceptional student who is coming the US as our special needs blind student.
Our family has hosted 15 exchange students over the years, and it has been
quite a positive experience.  I am always happy to answer questions about
the hosting experience.
Thanks for all the work you do.   Please feel free to share this information
with anyone you feel might make a great host family.  Please feel free to
check out our nonprofit website:  
www.ccigreenheart.org 
.  CCI is fully accredited by CSIET (Council on Standards for International
Educational Travel).
Best regards,
Mary Armstrong
 Local Coordinator
 CCI Greenheart
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