Share Southwest - Texas Panhandle

04/27/2026

Our exchange students enrich the lives of not only the host family, but of their teachers as well. One of our host families recently received this post card from their student's teacher at school, discussing the impact that our student has had on them!

We have students from many different countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, and many more! The students are 15-18 years old, come with their own health insurance and spending money, and want to come to the US to become a part of your family and have a true American experience.

There is many hosting options available, from short-term welcome-home families, single semester, or full academic year students.

All that is required is that they have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and a place to study. The only requirements for host families are that you are at least 25 years old, can pass a background check, and you cannot be on government assistance.

If this sounds like something you, or someone else you know might be interested in, feel free to reach out to me day or night through messenger, or at my contact information below!

Lake Youngblood
EPC for Share! Southwest
806-570-7881
[email protected]

04/09/2026

Feeling ready for something different? Hosting an exchange student is a great place to start!

Meet Delia, a 15 year old from Spain who is optimistic, social, and loves sports, animals, and spending time with others. She loves basketball, and also wants to try Cheerleading and Volleyball in the US!

Hosting an exchange student is a life-changing experience! Gain a new family member, explore a new culture from home, and create lifelong memories! Open your home and make a global impact!

No commitment needed, just reach out and see if hosting could be a fit for you or someone you know!

Lake Youngblood
Exchange Program Coordinator
Share! Southwest
Call or text: 806-570-7881
Email: [email protected]

03/31/2026

Why host a foreign exchange student?

I hear this question a lot. I host because I've seen the look on our students faces when we take them to a Walmart supercenter for the first time. I've seen the look on their faces when we go to a college football game. I've experienced the absolute joy that comes when the most mundane tasks become fantastic memories for our students. To me, this is a chance to show someone from another country the things that are amazing about the US. One of my students this year told me "Sometimes this whole experience just seems so surreal. I've been dreaming about this since I was 8 years old, and I cannot believe that this is my actual life". We had taken them to a Dallas Stars game and it instantly became a core memory for her.

Hosting an exchange student is not just having a guest in your house for a few months, it is a life-changing opportunity to make lifelong memories and to have an experience you may never have had otherwise.

If you are interested in hosting, or know someone who might be interested in hosting, please feel free to reach out to me using the contact info below!

Any type of family can host! Traditional, non-traditional, or single parent households can all host!

About our students:
- Ages from 15-18 years old
- Have their own health insurance
- Want to become part of your family

We have flexible hosting options: Host 1 semester, full academic year, or as a welcome home family!

Requirements:
- Must be 25+ years old
- Clear Background Check
- Not on government assistance
- Be able to provide food for your student

For any questions please call or text:
Lake Youngblood
EPC for Share Shouthwest
806-570-7881

03/10/2026

I asked one of my incoming students from next year why they wanted to go the US for an exchange:

"I want to do an exchange year in the United States because I’m curious about what everyday life is like somewhere different from home. Growing up half Bolivian and half Japanese has already shown me how different cultures can shape who we are, so I’m excited to experience something new. I hope to improve my English, go to an American high school, try new activities, and make friends while learning what life is like for teenagers there.

For me, this exchange is also about growing and becoming more independent. I’d love to share parts of my culture with my host family, maybe through food or traditions, and learn from them too. Being welcomed into a host family would feel like having a second home, and I hope to build real connections and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life."

Help us make a dream come true for a student this year by hosting! If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, or if you know anyone who you think might be interested, please reach out for some more information! We have students from a wide variety of countries, and we can always find a student who fits in well with your family! We have options for shorter term "welcome home" families, up to full semester and full academic year students!

Bring a unique experience to yourself, your home, and to your family by hosting an exchange student this upcoming school year!

Lake Youngblood
Exchange Program Coordinator
Share! Southwest
806-570-7881
[email protected]

02/21/2026

The reason I fell in love with hosting exchange students, is because I love getting to show them the real US. Not the Hollywood side they see on TV shows and movies, but the real, honest, day to day lives here.

As an example, I'll share my favorite memory with an exchange student:

I took her to a hockey game, real cheap tickets up in the nosebleeds. About halfway through the game she looks at me and says "Sometimes I can't believe this is actually my real life. It's so surreal. I've been dreaming of doing an exchange since I was 8 years old, and I can't believe that I get to have this experience".

Sometimes we take fairly ordinary things like a hockey game for granted. To us it's just a normal thing, but to an exchange student it's a once in a lifetime experience. Even basic mundane things like getting groceries at Walmart, is a brand new and exciting experience for them. Just two aisles in a Walmart supercenter is the equivalent of many entire grocery stores in Europe, so the extensive selection of items is exciting to them. My students this year especially love Eggo waffles. Something simple we all had as kids, to them it might as well be a 5 star breakfast.

Hosting an exchange student is not about taking them on fancy trips "showing off" the US. It's integrating them into your family and including them in your normal lives. I experience the joy of getting to hear them talk about their day, and their friends they've made. I get to hear about their struggle to find a prom date. I get to hear about them learning new English words and being excited when they can pronounce them correctly. I get to sit around the table with them and their friends and see how much joy they bring each other. I cheer for them at their sport events, and I feel like a proud parent just as if they were my own kids.

I love hosting because it brings me joy and fulfillment to my life. It also has enhanced my perception of the world and realizing as different as it may seem on the news or social media, deep down we're all humans on this earth with the same problems and the same wants and desires.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, or if you know anyone who you think might be interested, please reach out for some more information! We have students from a wide variety of countries, and we can always find a student who fits in well with your family! We have options for shorter term "welcome home" families, up to full semester and full academic year students!

Bring a unique experience to yourself, your home, and to your family by hosting an exchange student this upcoming school year!

Lake Youngblood
Exchange Program Coordinator
Share! Southwest
806-570-7881
[email protected]

12/16/2025

https://www.newschannel10.com/video/2025/12/16/share-southwest-need-host-families-exchange-students/

11/21/2025

Host an exchange student during this upcoming spring 2026 semester! These students come with their own spending money, and all that is needed from a host family is a bed, meals, and a quiet place to study.

Any type of family can host! Traditional, non-traditional, or single parent households can all host!

About our students:
- Ages from 15-18 years old
- Have their own health insurance
- Want to become part of your family

We have flexible hosting options: Host 1 semester, full academic year, or as a welcome home family!

Requirements:
- Must be 25+ years old
- Clear Background Check
- Not on government assistance
- Be able to provide food for your student

For any questions please call or text:
Lake Youngblood
EPC for Share Shouthwest
806-570-7881

07/28/2025

Host an exchange student!

We still have ~80 students needing families for the upcoming school year! Even if you can't host, through the end of July we are offering a $500 gift card if you refer a family to host and they host a student!

Have you ever thought about opening your home to an exchange student? These amazing teens (ages 15–18) come from all over the world and are excited to experience life with an American family.

They come with their own spending money and insurance—what they need is a caring home, a bed (shared room is okay!), and a quiet place to study.

You can host for a full school year, just a semester, or even start out as a short-term welcome family.

Hosts must be 25+, able to provide meals, pass a background check, and not be on government assistance.

Let me know if you're curious or want to learn more—I'm happy to answer questions, no pressure at all!

Lake Youngblood
Exchange Program Coordinator
Share! Southwest
806-570-7881

Share! Southwest in need of host families for exchange students