The south county area will welcome 20 to 25 high school students from Japan and Thailand this spring.

These international students, ages 15 to 18, will arrive April 22 to begin intensive language and cultural enrichment classes before beginning high school in the United States or Canada, according to a news release.

The students will be living in the Mehlville School District for four months of English language development and cultural exchange before individual high school placements in late August.

Families can experience another culture in their own home this year, according to the release.

Mehlville School District residents have been given the opportunity to serve as host to a high school exchange student through the ASSE, a non-profit organization recognized by the Department of State as an “exchange visitor program.”

If you or someone you know is interested in being the host to an exchange student, contact Susan Blakey, language and cultural enrichment coordinator at 805-2467 or via e-mail at smbd2a@mizzou.edu.