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Teacher urges board to back American Exchange Project that sends seniors on domestic exchanges
Summary
An FMS teacher described a week-long domestic exchange program that places seniors with host families to broaden social networks and civic exposure; she asked the district and community to refer students and volunteer to host.
Brienne Stevenson, a teacher at FMS, asked the Morris School District board to support expansion of the American Exchange Project, a free, domestic week-long exchange for graduating seniors designed to broaden students’ social networks and civic perspectives.
“One of the greatest indicators of socioeconomic mobility in kids is who their friends are,” Stevenson told the board, describing the program she ran in Sussex County and the positive outcomes she observed. She said the exchange places students with host families and brings small groups together to experience different regions of the U.S., adding that the host families in her pilot volunteered without prompting and gained strong connections with students.
Stevenson asked the board and community to: refer seniors who would benefit, volunteer to host (a stipend is available for hosts), and help publicize the opportunity. She said the program covers participant expenses and that the trips produce “genuine connections” and confidence-building experiences for students.
Board members thanked Stevenson and praised the program’s potential to expose students to new environments and civic engagement opportunities. The board did not vote on funding or formal adoption; Stevenson left contact information and encouraged volunteers to reach out to coordinate student nominations and hosting.
