The Center for Cultural Interchange Greenheart (CCI Greenheart) non-profit organization will integrate cultural exchange opportunities at Canyon High School.

CCI Greenheart will bring international exchange students to CHS to attend the 2013/2014 school year and will have opportunities for Canyon students to open their horizons and go abroad, local coordinator for the Greenheart Center of Cultural Interchange Lindy Wakefield said.

 “Since 1985, CCI Greenheart has offered cultural exchange programs in the U.S. that connect Americans with international students,” Wakefield said. “CCI Greenheart organizes high school exchange and opportunities to study, teach, work or volunteer in over 50 countries around the world.”

Lindy Wakefield recently obtained the job of local coordinator for CCI Greenheart and is working to coordinate with CHS to implement these opportunities within the school.

“As my daughter will be attending school in Canyon one day and cultural exchange is so near and dear to my heart,” Wakefield said. “I, personally, wanted to make it my mission to bring more international students here and offer more opportunities for Canyon students to enrich their lives.”

CCI Greenheart is hoping to bring international exchange students who will be in need of host families to Canyon.  The students will come with their own health insurance and money for entertainment, toiletries and school supplies.

“Hosting a foreign exchange student requires open communication, encouragement, patience and sound advice,” Wakefield said. “As the Local Coordinator, I will provide orientations for the family and the student. I will work with both throughout the families stay and coordinate with Canyon High School. In addition, once a family hosts with CCI they can go abroad with our programs at a discounted rate. The federal government allows a family to allocate $50 a month to charitable contributions for a tax deduction.”

CCI Greenheart’s programs have been absent from Canyon for about four years but Wakefield said that she is thrilled to be bringing the programs back to the area.

“To me, this area of the country symbolizes the heart of America better than any other area,” Wakefield said.  “Students who come to the U.S. take the culture and experiences they have back to their home countries and share what America is like. I would love to have the students say they experienced it here.”

CHS students will have the chance to study abroad in several countries around the world starting immediately.  

“We have programs that range from 2 weeks (during spring or winter breaks) to all summer,” Wakefield said. “We have a volunteer program in Costa Rica where you can help care for rescued wildlife, while doing a homestay and exploring the various adventures, such as zip lining, offered in Costa Rica. We also have language immersion programs in Germany, Spain, Costa Rica, Italy or France. These include activities and excursions to help you discover the culture and history of the destination, in addition to the language.”

A good candidate for studying abroad is someone who is open to experiencing new things, motivated, has a good academic and extracurricular record and has a desire to learn, Wakefield said. Those who are interested will go through an application and interview process in order to do so.

“It starts with just a simple desire to want to learn more,” Wakefield said.  “Through the application process you and your parents will answer a series of questions on your desire to volunteer or study abroad. You will need to get teacher’s recommendations, a medical form and your transcript, as well as photos of your friends and family (to share with your host family). Once you complete all of that you just need to raise the money and you’re off on the greatest adventure of your life.”

Wakefield said that those who can’t afford the fee to study abroad have options to raise money.

“CCI Greenheart is great at giving money tips,” Wakefield said. “We have fundraising ideas and will help students find a way to get the funds. If someone has the desire to do this there are things you can do.”

CCI Greenheart’s mission is to promote cultural understanding, academic development, environmental consciousness and world peace.

“Once you have opened yourself up to another culture and truly experienced it, you will know yourself and your world better and be positively changed for the rest of your life,” Wakefield said.  “You will be personally enriched beyond any textbook. You will also stand out from your peers on college and job applications along with gaining leadership and teamwork skills and gain confidence in your own abilities.”

For more information please contact Lindy Wakefield at (806) 570-5983 or at [email protected] or visit the following links:

http://www.cci-exchange.com/usprograms/host.aspx?location=416

http://www.ccigreenheart.org/greenheart-travel/teen-summer-programs-abroad/?location=420

http://www.cci-exchange.com/us-exchange-programs/meet-high-school-students/

http://www.ccigreenheart.org/travelabroad/program.aspx?id=360

http://www.ccigreenheart.org/languageschools.aspx