The oldest non-government organization in Croatia which promotes ecological, cultural, educational, and scientific cooperation - as well as all civil liberties - between the Republic of Croatia and the United States of America.
Croatia, Zagreb, Petrova 119 Tel. +385 1 24 22 343 Fax. +385 1 24 22 347, Email: info@cas.hr
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'LITTLE STAR' Kindergarten
STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM 2008

Be a part of a typical American family.

Actively enjoy American sports.

Improve your English.

Immerse yourself in American culture.

Make new friendships and gain new experiences.

Return with memories which last forever.

The Croatian-American Society’s Student Exchange Program ‘A school year in the United States’ in cooperation with our American partner, invites high school students to spend one year in an American high school whilst living with a typical American family. Young people who decide to attend such a program embark on an adventure which will best prepare them for future life and how to cope and deal with new situations. Come and study in the United States!

The program is carried out by Americans offering foreign students an opportunity to live and study in the United States while American high school students have an opportunity to live and study abroad. Students from around the world come to live in a typical American familiy and study in a typical American high school for a period of one year.

The Student Exchange Program intended for the Croatian high school students exists as part of the Section for the Promotion of Language and Culture since 1995. The program is called “One school year in the United States”. E-mail: info@cas.hr
WHO CAN JOIN THE PROGRAM?

All high school students between the ages of 15 and 18,5 who have a solid general knowledge and are near fluent in English can join the student exchange program. According to their age they will be placed in sophomore, junior, or senior classes. Interested candidates have to pass an English exam (SLEP) at the Croatian-American Society to prove their language competency. (There is a separate fee for this exam)

HOW AND WHEN CAN YOU APPLY?
First you must pass a personal interview and the English Competency Test which is taken at the Croatian-American society’s premises in Petrova 119, Zagreb. To schedule your testing/interview please call +385-1-2422-343 or +385-98-933-1315. After completion of the exam and interview, the student will receive forms, which should be filled in and submitted along with the deposit, on the date agreed at the enrolment.
PROFILE OF THE FAMILIES STUDENTS STAY WITH


American families participating in this program are not financially rewarded for their participation. Their motivation is based exclusively on cultural motives and goodwill - meeting young people from various cultural environments, and at the same time offering them the opportunity to get to know the American way of life. The program coordinators personally check the competency and honesty of your “substitute parents”, as well as their willingness and ability to provide you with a warm and loving American home.
It is important to emphasize that the family chooses the student, and not the other way around!


The family chooses the student based on the application documents and an assessment that the students will be a welcome addition to their family. The coordinator, whose opinion on the suitability of a particular family for the student is also taken into consideration, reviews this choice. How well a the student matches the family is very important; to gain the most from living with a particular family, as well as fulfilling his/her educational ambitions. Despite the fact that this system functions very well, unpleasant experiences are unavoidable. Every student, regardless of how well they adapt to the life with his or her new American family, must expect to go through a period of homesickness and “culture shock” during the first couple of months.

However, most students pass this period quickly and successfully. Still, if a problem between a host family and a student develops, local representatives intervene immediately to resolve the situation. At the same time, they inform both the student’s parents and the Croatian Student Exchange director. It is important to know that there is always the possibility that the student moves to another family if the problem cannot be solved. The aim of this program is for young people to leave America with a positive experience and new friendships, which will last for a long time.

HOW ARE STUDENTS SUPERVISED WHILE IN THE EXHCHANGE PROGRAM?

The local representatives pay close attention to each student's scholastic progress, provide advice and counseling, and visit the host families. Periodicaly they issue reports which emphise the following:

-student / host family relationship,
-student's scholastic participation,
-progress in English langauge of each student,
The Head of Student Exchange Program responsible for Croatian students proceeds this information to parents, and in the case of problems the she consults the parents to reach the mutualy acceptable solution.
WHAT DO THE PROGRAM FEES COVER?


The program covers:

- an academic year in an American high school (August to June)
- room and board with a host family
- organized (chaperoned) airport transfers
- an informative seminar upon arrival
- assistance, support, and advisory help by our American partners during the entire stay in the USA
- 24 hour toll free hotline number
- manual and a brochure with advice and important information
- monthly progress reports sent to parents
- administrative fees which include enrolment, consultations, assistance in filling the necessary forms, administrative tasks, educational seminar, assistance in obtaining the visa, etc;
- mailing the complete documentation through DHL or other currier service
- health insurance while in the USA. The policy covers only illnesses/injuries which occur while in the USA not the inherited/chronic diseases

It does not cover:
- return airfare ticket to the designated destination
- textbooks, notebooks, and other school related expenses (meals, sports uniforms, musical instruments, etc.)
- allowance (it is recommended USD 200-300 per month and additional USD 300 for end of the year formalities)
- nostrification fees upon return
- visa fees


IMPORTANT NOTICE!

The Student Exchange Program is uniform for the entire USA and is carried out according to the standards prescribed by the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (US Department of State). The Agency specifying the terms and regulations of Student Exchange Programs is Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). According to its standard no Student Exchange Program can guarantee a student the right to obtain an American High School Diploma; this right is left to each individual school to decide which grade the student can attend and which requirements (if permitteed) he/she needs to satisfy in order to obtain high school diploma.
Should you, after having read all this information, be interested in our Exchange Program and going to America for an entire school year then please call CAS Office at +385-1-2422-343 workdays between 10:00 and 15:30 (Central European Time) to arrange a meeting and schedule a time to take the English exam.
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