Fountain Hills High School has a pair of foreign exchange students joining its ranks this school year, and organizers of the Rotary Youth Exchange program want to remind local students and parents that cultural exchanges work in both directions.

“We want to let FHHS students and their parents know that there is a very affordable Rotary Youth Exchange program that allows sophomore and junior students to spend a school year abroad, learn a foreign language and develop international friendships that will last a lifetime,” said program District Chairman Bill Beamish.

While this year’s current exchange students are well cared for, Beamish said that the group is also always on the lookout for local host families willing to open up their hearts and homes to students for about three-and-a-half months.

As for this year’s students, one hails from Germany while the other is visiting from Italy. They will spend the entire school year enrolled at the local high school, taking classes and participating in extracurricular activities to get the full FHHS experience.

“They both have multiple host families who will share the hosting experience over the course of the school year,” Beamish explained.

“Each host family is responsible for their student’s room and board, and seeing that they get to and from school.”

Being the district chairman, Beamish said he is overseeing three outbound students from Scottsdale this school year, who will be spending the next several months in Germany, Belgium and Chile.

“Last year, our district had six outbound students and six inbound students,” Beamish continued.

“It is our hope and goal to find one outbound student from Fountain Hills High School who would like to participate in a year of study abroad (most likely in Europe) and experience a unique opportunity of a lifetime.”

As a heads up, Beamish explained that exchange students don’t typically receive credit for their year abroad and must complete their missed year of school upon returning.

For that reason, he said that exchange parents usually need to be willing to “think outside the box” in order to allow for a slight detour on the road to college.

The fringe benefits, though, might be worth it.

“Studies show that, because of their many unique and self-reliant experiences abroad, the average youth exchange student returns four years ahead of their peers in maturity,” Beamish said.

“They learn to more easily adapt to new situations, develop better communication skills, function better in groups and develop resumes that stand out from the average job applicant.”

Beamish, who is also the current Four Peaks Rotary President, said that Rotary prides itself on having the “most well respected youth exchange in the world,” with 80 participating countries sending some 8,000 students around the globe each year.

For those looking for more information, either about sending a student or hosting one here in town, contact Bill Beamish at 390-4130. Applications for the 2015-16 school year must be submitted by Sept. 30 in order to participate.