Every year, more than 900 foreign exchange students spend a year or a semester studying at American high schools through the PAX-Program of Academic Exchange. These extraordinary young people look forward to attending local high schools and living like American teens with an American host family while improving their English language skills and sharing their heritage with their adopted communities. PAX is currently seeking host families who would be interested in participating in this remarkable cultural exchange program and helping these students achieve their dreams.  

Since 1990, PAX, an educational non-profit foundation, has supported thousands of exchange students from over 40 countries. All PAX students are between the ages of 15 and 18, speak English, have full insurance coverage and come with their own spending money. Although students choose to study in the US for a variety of reasons, all look forward to making life-long friendships and creating unforgettable memories. Phillip, a 16 year old from Bonn says, "I love the American countryside and the American attitude, which is so nice and amenable." He adds, "I consider the decision to become an exchange student to be my greatest accomplishment."  

PAX welcomes host families of all kinds who would like to share their heart, home and culture with a young person from Germany, Korea, Sweden, China, France, Mexico or any one of our international students. Host families are asked to provide students with meals, a place to sleep and study, and a warm, supportive environment.  Private rooms are not required and single parents, young couples and retirees are all welcome to host. "The rewards of hosting are certainly not monetary, but we have become so rich through these experiences," say the DeWitt family of Minnesota.  "What we have gained has been amazing: a daughter for life!" For more information about becoming a host family with PAX-Program of Academic Exchange, call or email local PAX Coordinator Nathalie Bastin at 504-361-0736 / nati1965@yahoo.com or the PAX national office at 800-555-6211. You may also visit us on the web at www.pax.org.  

Thanks to our Professional Resources! 

Thank you to our professional resources, who met with our international guests in June, 2011.

Artfully AWARE - Mr. Lionel Lombard, Consultant; Mr. Kyle Vivianne Wolf, Intern; Ms. Aubrey Allison, Intern  

Beacon of Hope - Ms. Tina Marquardt, Executive Director

Belle Reve - Ms. Vicki Weeks, Executive Director

Broadmoor Improvement Association - Ms. LaToya Cantrell

Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) - Mr. Peter Reichard, Projects Manager

Eastern District of Louisiana - Ms. Virginia Schlueter, Federal Public Defender   

EngageNOLA - Mr.Todd Ragusa, Director at Large

Ms. Felicia Kahn - Citizen Activist 

Historic New Orleans Collection and Williams Research Center - Mr. Alfred E. Lemmon, Director of Williams Research Center     

House of Dance and Feathers - Mr. Ronald W. Lewis, Founder, Curator and Director   

Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES) - Ms. Rheneisha Robertson, Executive Director; Ms. Jennifer Glick, YEAH-NOLA Program Manager; Dr. Iman Shervington, Director of Media/MAP Program Coordinator

International Non-Profit Leadership Workshop - Ms. Pat Evans

Louisiana District Export Council (DEC), and Director, New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center - Mr. Donald van de Werken, Executive Secretary

Louisiana House of Representatives - Ms. Kay Katz, Representative (R-LA 16th District); Ms. Mary Ann Freeman, Executive Assistant to the Speaker of the House   

Louisiana State Archives - Mr. Bill Stafford, Research Library Administrator  

Louisiana State Court of Appeals - 4th Circuit - The Honorable Patty Murray, Judge; The Honorable Roland Belsome, Judge; Ms. Danielle Schott, Clerk of Court 

Louisiana State Museum - The Cabildo - Dr. Charles Chamberlain, Museum Historian  

Louisiana State Museum's Presbytere - Mr. Wayne Phillips, Curator of Carnival Collections

Louisiana State University School of Library and Information Science - Dr. Beth Paskoff, Dean; Dr. Alma Dawson, Academic Library/Collection Development Faculty Member and Project Director for "Project Recovery"; Ms. LaToya Coleman-Joseph, Administrative Coordinator   

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans (PRC) - Ms. Patricia Gay, Executive Director

Louisiana Supreme Court - The Honorable Bernette Johnson, Justice; The Honorable Greg G. Guidry, Justice; Mr. John Oliver, Clerk of Court; Mr. Robert Gunn, Community Relations Project Coordinator/Web Site Coordinator; Ms. Valerie S. Willard, Deputy Judicial Administrator   

Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation - Ms. Diem Nguyen, Executive Director; Ms. Tap Bui, Community Organizer and Health Outreach Coordinator

Mayor's Office of Economic Development - Ms. Aimee M. Quirk, Advisor to the Mayor for Economic Development 

Metropolitan Crime Commission - Mr. Anthony Radosti, Vice President

Ms. Myesha Francis - Owner, M. Francis Gallery  

New Orleans City Park - Mr. John D. Hopper, Development Director

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Inc. - Mr. Scott Aiges, Director of Programs, Marketing and Communications

New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) - Deputy Superintendent Marlon Defillo; Deputy Chief Kirk Bouyelas; Sergeant Joseph Catalanotto; Lieutenant Michael Sarver; Lieutenant Terry St. Germain

New Orleans Police Department - Public Integrity Bureau - Lieutenant Joe Lorenzo

New Orleans Public Library - Ms. Valencia Hawkins, Associate Director, Central Public Services, Outreach and Programming    

Office of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu - Mr. Richard Cortizas, Mayor Landrieu's Executive Counsel; Mr. Oliver Wise, Director of Performance and Accountability; Ms. Valerie Matron, Mayoral Fellow/International Relations

Office of the Lt. Governor John Leigh "Jay" Dardenne - Mr. Steven L. Windham, CEcD, EDFP, CPA, Executive Director   

Orleans Parish Criminal District Court - Mr. Harry Cantrell, Commissioner; Ms. Felicity Strachan, Assistant District Attorney; Mr. Mark Burton, Head, Magistrate Division   

Save Our Cemeteries (SOC) - Mr. John Geiser, Tour Guide and Past President

Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) - Mr. Jerry Hingle, Director

State Library of Louisiana - Ms. Rebecca Hamilton, State Librarian; Ms. Paulita Chartier, Communications Director; Mr. Charlene Bonnette, Head of Louisiana Department; Mr. Jim Davis, Director of the Louisiana Center for the Book; Ms. Kytara Gaudin, Head of Access Services

The Times-Picayune - Ms. Terri Troncale, Editorial Page Editor; Mr. Jarvis DeBerry, Editorial Page Columnist 

Tulane University - Dr. Alla Rosca, Professor of International Relations

Tulane University Center for Public Service - Ms. Devon Ponoroff, Senior Program Coordinator

Tulane University Special Collections - Hogan Jazz Archive - Dr. Bruce Raeburn, Curator  

United Houma Nation - Mrs. Brenda Dardar-Robichaux, Principal Chief

U.S. Attorney Eastern District LA - Mr. Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney; Mr. Sal Perricone, Assistant U.S. Attorney; Mr. Abram McGull, Assistant U.S. Attorney   

U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana - The Honorable Helen G. Berrigan, Judge; The Honorable Eldon Fallon, Judge; Mr. Richard Windhorts, Case Manager  

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth District - The Honorable Edith Jones, Chief Judge; Mr. Lyle W. Cayce, Clerk of Court; Mr. Thomas Plunkett, Chief Deputy Clerk; Mr. Michael Schneider, Senior Staff Attorney; Mr. Richard Windhorst, Former Clerk of Court; Mr. Charles A. Pearce, Circuit Librarian; Ms. Margaret H. Dufour, Executive Assistant to the Clerk of Court Lyle W. Cayce      

U.S. Small Business Administration Louisiana District Office - Ms. Jo Ann Lawrence, Supervisory Business Development Specialist 

Young Leadership Council (YLC) - Ms. Jonnie Honse, Membership Coordinator 

Youth Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO) - Mr. William Stoudt, Executive Director