Host families needed for exchange students who are coming to study at Morgan High

In August of 2021, two exchange students came to Morgan to receive their education at Morgan High School. This required them to each have a host family. Those families were Kade and Michelle Morrell and Dustin and Krachel Fullmer. 

Irene became like a fifth child to the Morrells when she came to Morgan from Spain for 10 months.

They enjoyed her sharing her Spanish culture with the family. “She was a perfect example of an exchange student because of her willingness to jump in and to try everything,” commented Michelle. “She took advantage of every opportunity possible during her time here.”

While here, Irene ran cross-country, was on the track team, went to all dances and school activities and embraced every experience. 

Michelle said that Irene became a best friend with their daughter, Emmory and loved hanging out with their son, Jaxton as well. 

A few weeks after Irene left to go home, the Morrells had the opportunity to travel to Spain so she could share her home country with the family. Currently, Irene is back in the U.S. to visit her "other family!" She went to St. George with a few friends she made while attending MHS then met the Morrells to go play in Lake Powell.

When asked what the family loved about having an exchange student Michelle said her attitude of living life to the fullest and her contagious smile! “We plan on continuing our friendship with Irene and with her family,” Michelle said. “We're already planning our next adventure together! Having a foreign exchange student was one of the best things our family has done!”

At the same time, the Fullmer family hosted Sergio who was also from Spain. Being a blended family and not having older kids who live in the home, gave Krachel’s daughters enjoyed the experience of having a big brother in the home. He regularly had friends over that he had met while attending MHS which Krachel commented, “was fun for us to have the added people in our otherwise somewhat quiet home.”

While in Morgan, Sergio helped the family learn about other cultures and traditions. They talked about how holidays are different in the United States and the family learned how school is similar, but also different. Sergio attended his first-ever school dance with a date when he went to homecoming. Additionally he went to Winter Ball and Prom.

Sergio took several advanced-level classes while in Morgan. “One of my favorite memories was a night when I was hosting several neighborhood girls for a Young Women activity,” Krachel recalls. “The girls were going to be having a homework party at our house. One of them pulled her math homework out, but soon got stuck. We called Sergio up from downstairs and he got right down in the middle of the homework, teaching this girl how to do her math. I loved that.”

 The Fullmers wanted to give Sergio as many American experiences as possible, so they traveled a lot that year going to places like Tuacahn, Zion National Park, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. However, Krachel says her favorite experience was taking him to Yellowstone National Park. Sergio comes from a line of engineers and his dad had told him ahead of time “You’ll be very close to Yellowstone. If you ever get a chance to go, go!”

 “We loved being able to invite Sergio into our home and give him an opportunity to immerse into our American culture,” said Krachel. She added that they hope to be able to make it over to Spain to visit him and his family sometime in the near future.

MHS counselor, Kylee Rock commented, that exchange students that come to Morgan love their host families and really rely on them to help navigate their experiences here. “Speaking with some of the students who have hosted an exchange student, they love the opportunity to have them in their homes and get to know them even better,” said Rock. There is a lot of homesickness when students first arrive, but by the end of the year their tears are genuine sadness for leaving MHS behind.”

Not only do host families benefit from having exchange students, but students at MHS have had amazing opportunities to learn about other cultures. Rock said, “I have seen our students genuinely want to know who these students are learn all about them and how they live in other countries. They truly become friends and stay in touch for years after the time they spend at MHS.” She added that the exchange students are excited to learn about America and life in a small town. “They want to have the full experience of going to dances, playing sports and being American teenagers. Most of the time, everyone realizes there are not a lot of differences between them, besides the language they speak.”

Over the past 20 years, Student Intervention Services director and former MHS councilor Destiny Field has seen many exchange students come to Morgan High School with one year hosting 17 at once! She also mentioned that while some get homesick, most acclimate well, make friends, enjoy American customs, and bring a wonderful diversity to our school.

“I’ve seen lifelong friendships formed and witnessed MHS students lose their inhibitions and preformed judgments of people from other cultures and races,” said Field. “I love having these students from so many different places bring a little bit of their homeland to Morgan and help open our eyes to the possibilities, places, and peoples of this amazing world.”

If having an exchange student in your home sounds like something your family would like to do, Educatius, the world’s largest organization focusing on international high school programs abroad or online is the place to start. Last year their organization helped more than 8,000 students from 50 countries to experience different countries. 

Families who are interested in learning more about being a host family for an exchange student can visit https://www.educatius.org/.

Lynette Berry, the Regional Manager from Educatius for Utah, really understands the importance of hosting exchange students. “I grew up in a family who hosted many international students, I studied abroad in Germany in high school and our family hosted students as an adult as we raised our two sons.” She commented that these programs change lives. “I never would have had the life I’ve led without growing up in a family that hosted international students. They were my first introduction to what else is out there in the world. Providing a bridge to cultural understanding, differences, similarities and fun experiences. I am still in touch with my host family after 33 years, they are the aunts and uncles to my two sons. I truly do believe these experiences change lives and it is so nice we can bring students to beautiful communities like Morgan and continue this process.”

Last year, through Educatius, three students came to study at Morgan High School, one from Brazil and two from Spain. This year two female students are planning to study at MHS from Cambodia and Vietnam. However, these families are in need of host families while they attend MHS. If you are interested in hosting one of these exchange students, you can contact Berry directly at [email protected] or call 360.591.3273 λ