ETC celebrates chamber membership, seeks host families for international students

The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 15 to welcome Education, Travel, & Culture (ETC), a nonprofit student exchange organization, as a new chamber member.

The event took place at Southside Charter High School, where ETC is actively recruiting host families for international high school students.

ETC Assistant Field Manager Amanda Sharp and Southside High School counselor Dr. Amy Foree addressed attendees during the ceremony. Sharp emphasized the organization’s mission to foster global connections through cultural exchange.

“ETC is about creating connections, building bridges between cultures, sharing our everyday lives, and realizing that despite our differences, we have so much more in common,” said Sharp. “When you host a student, you’re not only giving them a place to stay—you’re giving them family, community, and a home-away-from-home. In return, you get a new perspective, new traditions, and often a bond that lasts a lifetime.”

Dr. Foree, who previously hosted a student through the program, spoke about the positive influence exchange students have had on her family and the school community.

 “As one of the high school counselors at Southside, I have the unique privilege of seeing firsthand the impact exchange students have on our campus and in my own home,” said Foree. “My family hosted a student, and it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. We keep in touch today. Exchange students inspire curiosity, inclusion, and cultural awareness in ways textbooks simply can’t.”

ETC places international students in American homes, allowing them to attend local high schools and experience day-to-day life in the United States. The organization highlights mutual understanding and lifelong relationships as key outcomes of the program.

For more information on becoming a host family, visit www.edutrav.org or contact Amanda Sharp at (870) 805-1306 or asharp@edutrav.org.

Chamber ambassadors in attendance include: Aaron Herndon (Citizens Bank), Christina Watts (LaCroix Precision Optics), Eva Henriksen (Merchants & Planters Bank), Julie Hinkle (Bank of Cave City), Lori Campbell (Batesville School District), Lori Tacker (Batesville Eye Care Center), Michael Kelley (Peco Foods), Rickie Westbrook (Centennial Bank), Roxanne Rananudo (Family Violence Prevention), Silje Antonsen (First Community Bank), Sydney Wood (Main Street Batesville), and Tammy Jeffrey (First Community Bank).

Image provided by the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce