April 15, 2025
Global 4-Hers Want to Learn about Kansas 4-H
4-H’ers from Taiwan and Norway are enthusiastic about 4-H in their home countries. The teens who are headed to the U.S. this summer are leaders in their 4-H programs and would like to learn how we do 4-H in Kansas. Both countries have long-term 4-H programs that have evolved differently than ours but thrive in their environments.
Kansas families have a chance to help. You can host a teen for 3-4 weeks or a young adult chaperone about 2 weeks in June-July and show him or her the results of your 4-H year. The visitor can help you prepare projects for the fair and perhaps enter something. They can attend community events like 4th of July celebrations or just hang out and share family life. What seems ordinary to us is special to global visitors who want to learn about our culture. You’ll learn about their culture and 4-H while they experience ours. Both countries host American exchanges for our 4-H’ers.
Exchanges like these are managed by States’ 4-H International Exchange Programs, of which Kansas 4-H is a partner. To be a teen host, a family must have a family member to serve a host sibling who is the same gender and within two years of their exchange teen. There are no host sibling requirements for chaperones, who are hosted by two families each of any age.
As of April 10, Kansas is still seeking good matches for the following incoming exchange participants:
From Norway June 25-July 19. They are part of the national pool:
Edvard, m, 16—Secretary of his Norway 4H club and member of local government youth council. He plays xylophone and enjoys hiking, writing, reading, movies, computers, cooking, and trying new food.
Kristian, m, 15—Likes farming, John Deere equipment, hunting, history, disc golf, soccer, skiing, and spending time with friends and family.
Vetle, m, 17— Enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, video games, and table tennis. His other hobbies are reading, movies, animals, museums, outdoor activities, and painting/drawing.
Marita, f, 24, chaperone to Kansas needs a host family June 25-July 6 practicing landscape architect, past 4-H member, hikes and climbs with coworkers and friends, Hobbies include reading, knitting, social activities with friends.
From Taiwan, July 3-August 2 (These exchangees are all coming to Kansas):
Yu-Hui (Priscilla), f, 16—Likes roller skating, swimming, playing piano, photography, and doing tricks with her diablo. She wants to make friends from different countries, learn world/American history, experience a different culture, and hone her English skills.
Chang-Han, f, 13—Plays jazz drums and enjoys listening to music and singing. She likes reading, badminton, and high jumping. She wants to observe different ways of doing 4-H, learn about our culture and how it operates, and challenge herself.
Wei-Zheu (Jane), f, 17—Plays percussion and enjoys drawing, painting, arts and crafts, exploring cultures, animals, nature, baking, trying new foods, playing tennis, and ping pong. She wants to immerse herself in the culture and broaden her perspective as she gains a deeper understanding of local history and natural landscapes.
Yu-Tsai (Yunior), m, 17—Skateboards, plays badminton, and likes reading history. He hopes to understand American 4-H culture, experience lifestyles, and explore agriculture and environmental issues as he broadens his international perspective while introducing Taiwanese culture.
Taiwan Chaperone information has not been received yet. The plan is to place him or her with two families for approximately 2 weeks each.
Applications to host for the States’ 4-H Exchange can be found at the Kansas 4-H website, www.Kansas4-H.org, by following a link to host families under News and Updates from the home page.
Contact Kansas International Exchange Coordinator Mary Kay Munson at mkm2@ksu.edu or 785-375-3189.