While every AYA student is committed to cultural exchange and intercultural learning, some truly go above and beyond—creating a lasting impact on their host family and community that deserves a special shoutout. Roman from Ukraine is an exceptional example of this commitment and the winner of our Student of the Month award for March 2026!
Currently hosted in Maine, Roman is the perfect embodiment of the AYA spirit, bringing enthusiasm and intercultural curiosity with him wherever he goes. Join us as we learn more about Roman’s exchange experience in Maine and what’s made his journey one to remember.
Read on to learn more about Roman’s high school exchange journey in Maine.
“Roman has been making a huge impact on his community here in rural northern Maine. He volunteers at the Burlington Food Pantry twice a month on Saturdays and has become a welcome and familiar face. He attends two schools, his regular high school Lee Academy and a technical high school, NPT Region 3. At Region 3, he in taking Business Administration and has done presentations on his culture for the entire school, as well as special presentations to the Law Enforcement class on what law enforcement looks like in Ukraine. The culinary department dedicated a day of curriculum to him and made all Ukrainian food all day for him to sample! He organized a community candlelight vigil in support of the anniversary of the invasion in Ukraine four years ago. He was awarded the Global Youth Leadership Grant and was also chosen to go to Washington DC in March. He was also awarded Student of the Quarter for his academic achievement at Region 3. Roman is dedicated to learning about our culture and sharing his culture with others. He also has committed to learning about the Native American culture in northern Maine and has done enhancement activities and trip s with his host family to facilitate his learning. He is a true lifelong learner.” —Laurie, Roman’s Local Coordinator in Maine
Did you know you can host an exchange student like Roman?
Host families from across the United States come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’d like to host for a full school year, a semester, or just for a few weeks as Welcome Family, you can make an impact on an exchange student’s life by hosting!
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