Park County residents may have noticed an online campaign looking for area homes willing to host studious foreign exchange students. 

That’s International Cultural Exchanges Services, a foreign exchange company hoping to break into the area. 

“It’s just that we had some interest in the area, and we finally have coordinators in the area,” said Ann Yeadon-Zimmerle, the district representative for ICES.

High school students looking to enjoy the Park County scenery include students from Italy, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, among others, according to posts in Cody Area Classifieds.

ICES places roughly 1,600 students across the United States each year and about 100 in Wyoming, Yeadon said. Some students specifically request the Cowboy State while others are open to placement anywhere.

While they have placed students in Basin in the past, presence in the Cody area is new and allows placements not only in Cody but Powell, Meeteetse, Basin and Greybull. 

Coordinators have to be within 120 miles of the students, said Yeadon-Zimmerle, who lives in eastern Wyoming. 

“So it really just depends on [who] we feel would fit well in the area, because, you know, Wyoming is quite different than most other states,” Yeadon-Zimmerle said.

They look for students who are used to outdoor recreation and those who may want to play sports, something that is easier to do in a smaller school where they don’t have to try out. 

For families considering taking in a student there are advantages for both students and local families alike.

“You get to learn about the students’ culture and how they live their life, but also, you get to share your culture and how you live your life,” Yeadon-Zimmerle said. “You get to learn about the students, and the students get to become a part of your family.”

Families must go through an application process that includes background checks, a home visit, and reference checks before students arrive in August. 

Roughly five placements are in progress, including three in Powell, she said.

Powell families and schools typically take in a handful of students each year through EF Exchange Year. Other companies can be great at supporting families and students, Yeadon-Zimmerle said, acknowledging it can be difficult to let another company in, “but all we do is ask for a chance.”

“We just want a chance to prove that, you know, we’re a good company too, and that we work hard and we’re right there, supporting our families and supporting our students,” she said, adding, “Anything we can do to help the students and the families of the schools to get through the years successfully we want to help.”

Families interested in taking in a student can learn more at icesusa.org.