Washington County 4-H'ers To Host Japanese Youth

By Eric Barrett

Washington County 4-H'ers are hosting Japanese youth this month through the
Ohio 4-H/Labo International Exchange Program. Three 4-H Families are hosting youth from July 24 through August 19.
 
The Labo Foundation is a Japanese organization devoted to teaching Japanese youth about the English language and American culture. Each summer, close to 600 Japanese boys and girls and their adult leaders travel to America for a one-month homestay. Ohio 4-H hosts a large portion of these visitors; this year, families around our state are hosting 80 Japanese youth and their five adult chaperones.
 
Sam Doak and her family of Oak Grove are hosting for the eighth year.  Sam and her husband Bill say their four children all enjoy sharing their lives with young people from around the world.  “Every year our family gets something good out of hosting a student," says Sam.
 
Ohio 4-H forged an exchange partnership with Labo in 1980. The Japanese youth especially enjoy being hosted by the rural families of 4-H, although suburban and city hosts are also welcome to participate.
 
Other programs sponsored by Ohio 4-H and Labo include a year-long hosting opportunity for Ohio families and Japanese youth, and an outbound program which sends Ohio youth to Japan for one month. Ohio 4-H also organizes other exchange opportunities with numerous areas of the world.