High school exchange students from other countries are looking for host families in Marysville and Arlington, and Charla Mosbrucker hopes that locals will be able to help them out.

Mosbrucker, a Marysville resident, is the Northwest Region Team Leader for the International Work and Study Programs of the Council on International Educational Exchange, an American non-profit organization with close to 100 study-abroad programs in 36 countries. For the past 10 years, Mosbrucker has placed high school exchange students with host families in Snohomish County schools. This year, she has four students to place for Marysville-Pilchuck High School — girls from Ukraine and Serbia, and boys from Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan — as well as two students to place for Arlington High School, boys from Kenya and Turkey.

“Meeting these students can teach so much more than a book ever could,” Mosbrucker said of the students, who are drawn from highly competitive scholarship-based programs. In order to receive one of these unique full scholarships, the students must complete a demanding selection process, based on diverse criteria including their English abilities, grades, positive attitudes and motivations. All the students come with their own medical insurance and spending money. They have high English scores, like pets and have no allergies.

“Host families do not need to have teenagers themselves,” Mosbrucker said. “Young families and empty nesters can also have the opportunity to host one of these exceptional students. Please help their dreams come true. Both permanent and welcome families can apply, as both are needed.”

Round-the-clock support is available for host families, but due to school and program deadlines, all students need to be placed with host families by June 6. For more information, call Mosbrucker at 360-659-3603, or log onto www.ciee.org/hs/host.