LYNNFIELD — Think of Barbara Langill as the town’s ambassador to the rest of the planet.
As regional coordinator for Educatius, she is one of the first people international students meet when they come to Lynnfield.
Educatius partners directly with high schools in 16 countries and connects international students with host families in 22 states across the U.S. According to the program’s official website, it’s one of the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to providing international education opportunities for high schoolers.
Many applicants request to be placed in Lynnfield, which receives funding for the program through an educational grant. Langill speculates the reason for this is because of the town’s close proximity to Boston — a city known for its passionate sports fans.
“We have a lot of kids who are sports fans and who are fans of the Patriots or the Celtics, so here sounds good to them,” she said. “They want to be close to the city.”
Six students, five from Brazil and one from Vietnam, are currently enrolled at Lynnfield High School, while two have already returned to their home countries upon the completion of their half-year programs.
In a January article published by the The Daily Item, High School principal Bob Cleary said the school sees an average of about seven Educatius students each year, with Brazil, Germany, Italy, China, and Vietnam among the most popular countries.
Before new students become acquainted with Langill, however, they must complete a rigorous application process. The program then sends Lynnfield High School profiles of applicants who request to be placed there, and, once final decisions are made, Langill sets out to do her job matching students with approved families.
Although the former youth minister has always enjoyed mentoring young people, Langill only joined Educatius three years ago, starting out as a host mother before soon moving on to a regional coordinator position.
After hosting her first student — a boy from Italy — she said she was inspired to help other Lynnfield families connect with Educatius students.
“They’re always looking for host families to recruit, and (my husband and I) had a wonderful experience,” Langill said. “I really liked the program and felt it was important that it continued here.”
Because she recognizes hosting an exchange student is often a daunting challenge for all involved, Langill works closely with host families to help them prepare. To ensure each space is up to standard, she visits homes beforehand and takes pictures to send back to students.
“We put pictures of the family in, too,” she said, adding that small touches like this can help alleviate anxiety students often feel about their impending trip.
Once they arrive, Langill works hard to ensure every child feels welcome in their new home.
“Especially in the beginning, I meet with them a couple times to answer any questions. We have a little orientation so they can ask us anything they might be embarrassed to ask their host family,” she said.
At its January 21 meeting, Lynnfield’s School Committee voted unanimously to continue the district’s participation in the program and agreed to accept up to 10 Educatius students during the 2020-2021 academic year
“The program works really well and we have had kids come back and visit after deciding to go to college here,” Cleary said in January.
