Host families needed for French, Spanish students visiting Lapeer this summer

Want a summer you and a foreign student will never forget? Host families are needed for Spanish and French students traveling to Lapeer this summer as part of a summer foreign exchange program.

French students will be here from July 7-30 and Spanish students will be here from June 26-31.

The exchange students all speak English well and are looking for an opportunity to stay with an American family and improve their language skills.

Students from Spain are: Maria Medrano, 17, who likes basketball, dancing, movies, being with friends, reading, snow ski, horses and hiking; Ana Palacios,17, who likes basketball, swimming, computers, being with friends and music; Susana de la Rosa, 17, a fan of swimming, windsurfing, computers, dancing, movies, being with friends and music; and Carlota Izuierdo, 17, who likes basketball, movies, being with friends, reading and music.

Students from France are: Pierre Desflaches,17, who likes bicycling, camping, swimming, music, ice skating, soccer and tennis; Lucas Bernard, 16, a fan of basketball, plays guitar and languages;
Tudal Legrand, 17, an enthusiast of fishing, hunting, going out with friends, reading, music, water skiing and swimming; and Stanislas Banaszuk, 15, who likes animals and enjoys going out with friends.

Anyone interested in participating in this exciting program is asked to contact Mrs. Jeanine LeMieux at Lapeer West at (810) 667-2423 or at jlemieux@lapeerschools.org.

French students visit Lapeer for three weeks

It was a study of America, Lapeer style for six French students.

Five Lapeer West families and one Lapeer East family hosted six students from Brittany, France during a three week exchange visit in July.

Two of the French students were making their second summer visits to Lapeer. The students were met at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on July 9th and returned home on July 30th. More photos of the students and their host families are at the District's photo gallery.

Lapeer West French teacher Jeanine LeMieux is the local coordinator for the exchange program. Mrs. LeMieux has coordinated the family visits for the French students for more than five years and for students from Spain for nearly twenty years.

Students not only practice their language skills, but often become good friends. One local student, Belle Hammontree, returned to France for a four week visit with the student, Ocean Joly, that she and her parents, Beth and John Willette hosted.

The McCarthy family, Denis and Lynn and their daughter, Caley, hosted Simone Gouranton. During Simone’s stay he worked out and played with a Lapeer soccer team and traveled to Florida with the McCarthy’s for a week of sun and fun.

Erica Miller and her family hosted French student Charlene Perrudin. It was the second student in the past three years the Miller’s invited to stay with them.

“Charlene Perrudin was by far, their favorite,” LeMieux said.

West student Abby Case, and her parents, Bryan and Kelly Case, hosted Claire Delarra.

“Abby hopes to travel to France soon to visit Claire,” LeMieux said.

French student Pierre Cotrel stayed with West student Justin Harris and his family. West student Jessica Phelps and her family hosted Claire Leveque.