With the school year rapidly approaching, Northwest Services’ PEACE Program is again seeking host families for exchange students from around the world.

The program connects families of all kinds with students for either an academic semester or a full year in an effort to give kids a taste of the United States, while the students also bring their traditions to their host families.

For Luise Wetzel, who lives near Karlsruhe, Germany, participating in the program gave her a chance to learn about the United States when she came to the country and enrolled at Greenfield High School for the 2021-2022 school year.

“Greenfield was a perfect place to live for one year, because the people are so open-minded and extremely welcoming,” Wetzel wrote in an email. “I loved the fact that almost everything was walkable, and especially the school, where I participated in volleyball, cheerleading and tennis, which none of that I’ve ever done before, so all of the sports were new to me.”

Patricia Darby, the area coordinator for Northwest Services’ PEACE Program, has hosted students of her own in the past. She said this is an opportunity for families to have an unforgettable experience and “form a friendship for a lifetime” with their student.

“They are so interested to share their culture, their customs. They want to learn all of our holidays here and experience them,” Darby said. “I’ve been doing this so long and I’ve seen so many families have such joy in hosting students.”

Wetzel, 20, lived with Mariah Kurtz and Billy Pennington in Greenfield for the school year and formed a lifelong bond with them. Kurtz and Pennington took Wetzel skiing in Vermont, they traveled to Philadelphia and they attended concerts in Boston.

“Most importantly, they let me be part of their family and welcomed me into their home, even though we were pretty much strangers,” Wetzel said. “Even my host mom’s parents, Lori and Gene, invited me into their inner family circle, sharing Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and other family gatherings with me. After a while I felt like they were family, too, which I would have never expected, before I left my home country for my yearlong adventure.”

This year, students from Spain, Ecuador, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Peru, Brazil, Czech Republic and Cambodia are looking to study in the United States. Students are matched with families based on mutual interests, are 15 to 18 years old, speak English, are fully insured and have their own spending money. Darby places students in Franklin County, as well as in southern New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

“There’s a perfect family for every student out there,” Darby said. All families and students go through a background check. “I have repeat families that try different countries and I’ve seen families go back and visit the student.”

While the benefits are clear for the students, Darby emphasized taking in an exchange student is also an opportunity to see “America through the eyes of another and appreciate more what we have here.”

“Don’t treat them as a guest, treat them as a family member and welcome them,” she said, emphasizing it is not too expensive to be a host family, as there are plenty of free activities folks can do to share the Franklin County and Massachusetts experience with their student.

For those nervous about taking in a student, Darby said she and the PEACE program maintain consistent contact with host families and check in around once a month.

The deadline to apply is Aug. 31, although families are encouraged to apply earlier, so students can be there on the first day of school. From there, kids are encouraged to join clubs and sports to make connections and try something new.

For more information about the Northwest Services PEACE Program, visit its website at nw-services.com or contact Darby at patdarby6@yahoo.com or by calling 978-632-8270.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.