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GO OUT – On September 11, a group of 23 exchange students, one of whom is not pictured, took an outing to a Pittsburgh Riverhounds football game. The students, who come from Spain, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany and Thailand, were placed by Kathy Higgins of Weirton, in the first row, sixth from the left, who she- even been a host and found host families through the Aspect Foundation, which it has been coordinating since 1988. – Contribution
WEIRTON – Kathy Higgins knows what it’s like to be a host and find hosts in her more than three decades as a coordinator helping exchange students from afar enjoy new learning and cultural experiences in the USA.
This school year is all the more unique as the Weirton woman has found homes for 23 high school students, two of them with her.
“I have seven from Spain, seven from Brazil, four from Italy, two from France, two from Germany and one from Thailand” Higgins said, explaining that she herself welcomes a girl from Germany and a girl from Brazil. The others live with families that she recruited mainly through Facebook groups.
Three go to Edison High School, one goes to David Andersen in Lisbon, three goes to Burgettstown, 11 goes to Brooke High School, three goes to Weir High School and one is to Oak Glen High School.
Higgins has been hosting and coordinating exchange students since 1988 through the San Francisco-based Aspect Foundation. It is a non-profit organization “Provide affordable study abroad opportunities for students around the world”, according to its website.
Since her involvement, Higgins estimates that she has placed at least 170 students, boys and girls aged 15-18, across from Thailand, Japan, Brazil, Italy and Spain to Germany. , Denmark, Norway, Belgium and France.
Originally from Colorado, Higgins followed in his mother’s footsteps as an exchange host.
“My mother had six children – there were six of us – and when we were all gone she started to host”, Higgins said. “Anyway, my mother was a teacher and loved children. She always loved children and everyone loved her.
When her own daughter was 4, Higgins said she saw a newspaper ad for an exchange student host family and responded to it.
“So we welcomed a girl from Holland. She is 51 years old now ”, Higgins said, noting that although exchange students have had temporary homes with her over the years, she has had a lasting contact relationship.
Being a coordinator with the Aspect Foundation seemed like a natural next step.
“That’s where my first exchange student came from, and I’ve worked with them ever since. They seem to bring good children ”, she said.
While finding accommodation for 23 students seems like a lot, Higgins has had more.
“I had 24 once in Colorado, but I was younger” She said with a smile.
After retiring from a letter carrier about eight years ago, Higgins moved to Weirton to be closer to his daughter, who lives in Pittsburgh.
The desire to continue to house and find hosts has also taken hold, a process now aided by her boyfriend, retired dentist Dr Ronald Ard. “He’s my main driver. “ she said. “He helps me a lot to drive.
As a coordinator, Higgins recruits host families, interviews them, checks references, makes home visits and deals with any issues that arise. These are monthly interviews with host families and exchange students and the filing of reports.
“I don’t like having so many” Higgins said, adding that she preferred a maximum of 10.
“Normally I wouldn’t put on that much because I love getting to know kids and having fun with them and so 10 would be a limit for me, but because so many schools in the country right now don’t do not allow exchange students, that’s why they asked me, can you try to place more because a lot of coordinators cannot find accommodation because the schools do not accept them.
How has she found such success for so many people, even with COVID-19 a likely concern?
“I just post on Facebook” she said. “I have to tell you that nine of my foster mothers are nurses and one is a retired teacher and three are teachers, but if I look back a lot of hosts have been teachers and nurses, people who love children and (to) raise, I imagine. “
A host family can possibly have two exchange students at the same time, but they cannot speak the same language.
“The point for them to come for a school year is that while they’re here they have to speak English, it’s a requirement, and they can’t get D’s and F’s or they’re put on follow-up and can be sent home ” she said.
“I have fun with them. I will do activities with them. I don’t have to do it, but I do ”, she said.
This “amusing” resulted in monthly group outings. “We took them to Niagara Falls and on the Maid of the Mist (sightseeing boat tour)”, she said of their trip last weekend which ended with a birthday celebration at Aloha Delights in Weirton in honor of one of the students.
On September 11, they went to a Pittsburgh Riverhounds football game. Kennywood was the attraction in August. Higgins is planning a Christmas gathering for December that will include up to 80 guests, including host families and students.
Students come with pocket money and 100% medical coverage, according to Higgins.
“It costs money – you have to feed them” she said. A host receives a monthly tax break of $ 50, but no allowance or direct salary.
“I have families who host them all the time”, she said.
“Children are great kids and they are fun to have” Higgins added. “They love it here. They don’t want to go home at the end. I didn’t have anyone who wanted to come home.
What does Higgins love the most?
“You learn more about other countries and the friendships you build with the children”, she said. “I love children. I have always loved them. I have been to Europe seven times and always stay with different families. They always invite me. she said of the families of students that she herself placed or hosted.
Higgins keeps in touch with them all. “I spend a lot of money on Christmas cards and stamps” she said. “I send each of them a Christmas card every year – I always have” she said. “They will often face me. It’s fun to keep in touch.
One drawback she has observed, however, in recent years is “Teenagers are less and less grateful and grateful, and I am sad about that. They were, at first, they appreciated what you did for them more than they do now. I mean thank you only takes a second and is free and you don’t hear it as often as you should. It’s a little depressing ”, she said of a trend she has noticed over the past five years.
When asked what she would most like to convey to readers, Higgins replied: “That they should try, they should host.” Maybe they don’t realize that they don’t have to support them 100 percent, just food at home.
For more information on how to be a host family for an exchange student, Higgins suggested people visit the aspectfoundation.org website.
“They can go there and see everything about the accommodation, what that implies” she said.
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