Lincoln Academy international students enjoy a fall field trip to Pemaquid Point. The LA Residential Life program is seeking vacation homestay families for February and April vacations. If interested, contact Sarah Kennedy at 563-3596 ext. 223 to find out more. (Photo courtesy Missy Abbott)
It is a long way home for many of the international students attending Lincoln Academy in Newcastle. While the school offers comfortable dormitories while school is in session, not all of the international students are able to travel home during academic breaks. Of the 90 students attending Lincoln Academy from 19 countries this year, approximately two dozen hope to stay with local families for a week during February and April vacations.
This is Lincoln Academy’s third year of having students living on campus. The school’s Residential Life program offers a wide variety of programs and activities to promote connections between the residential students and the local community, such as the Student Ambassadors Program, field trips to nearby natural and historic sites, community service, language study, and cultural activities. The homestay program is one more way for students living most of the year in the dormitories to connect with the community.
“Providing a homestay to an international student can be a great opportunity to learn about another culture,” said Ken Stevenson, director of resident life at Lincoln Academy. “Our students see this as a chance to improve their English language skills and get to know the community better. They are surrounded by their peers here in the dorms, but homestays give them a chance to build a wonderful relationship with a family and gain better understanding of what it means to live in Maine.”
Host families are needed for upcoming school vacations Feb. 18-26 and April 15-23, and families can opt to host for either or both breaks. Students can be paired in groups of two; a daily stipend to cover additional expenses is provided. Lincoln Academy staff members are happy to guide families interested in hosting through the process.
Contact Sarah Kennedy at 563-3596 ext. 223 or kennedy@lincolnacademy.org to find out more about hosting an LA student during school vacation.
