Our Spanish Exchange sister school based in Zaragoza, Spain, Colegio Inglés, will be visiting Episcopal for two weeks starting April 10 and ending April 23, 2025.  We were extremely fortunate to establish a relationship with this prestigious school in 2009, and we could not be more pleased with the success of the program.  After being welcomed warmly in Zaragoza in 2018 and 2024, and hosting here in Jacksonville in 2019 and 2023,  we are excited to continue our Exchange.  The program has grown and we now anticipate twenty five 4th year students and two of their teachers this spring.  Please take a moment to view our Program Flyer and highlights from our 2023 and 2024 Exchanges to get to know what the  Exchange is all about.

We are looking for approximately 25 families to host students from Colegio Inglés in your homes for the 2 week period.  The average age is 15-16 years old and all of the students have excellent communication skills in multiple languages, including Spanish and English.  The role of an exchange student Host Family is extremely important and can prove to be a tremendously rewarding experience.  Likewise, Episcopal Student Hosts must be of sound character and mature enough to be able to handle the responsibility and trust which we will place in them.  

The responsibilities of a Host Family include providing:

• An individual bed for the student (they may share a room with a child of the similar age/gender
• Three meals a day (lunch as needed on non ESJ days)
• Transportation to and from Episcopal each day
• TLC whenever needed

The goal is for our host families to regard their exchange students as members of the family, and to give them the positive and memorable experience you would want your child to receive while being hosted abroad.  This would include showing them a little of the city and including them in fun, family outings/activities. This is a busy undertaking, and does require some juggling with academics, sports, and after-school-activity schedules.  Rest assured, we will work with hosting families and students if there is a schedule issue.  Our hosting families often pitch in with carpooling and co hosting group events.  I am confident that you will find the overall experience to be extremely rewarding!

If you are interested, please complete the following (printed copies of these can be picked up in WL 5):

• Host Family Application Form & Host Fee ($300 check payable to ESJ)

• Two Teacher Recommendations

• Student Introductory Letter 

• Spanish Exchange Host Family Contact Form

Application deadline for all materials is January 15, 2025.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests for further details by email at plaskin@esj.org and direct your student to stop by WL 5.