Over the years, THS has had the pleasure of having foreign exchange students. These students have come from various countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Right now, there is a student from Germany named Jukab Jeck.

It is easy to forget that these students are not only coming to a new country, but are living with a new host parent. Mr. Don Haymore has been hosting foreign exchange students for the past four years, and Jeck is his twelfth student.

Haymore decided to become a host home father because he once wanted to be an exchange student, but could not because of lack of foreign language skills and financial issues.

“I was fortunate to serve over 20 years in the Army and I was able to travel around the world.  I loved living abroad, visiting other countries, and experiencing their customs. I am now in the position to be able to ‘give back’ and host students. While they are here, I love continually learning more and more about their country, their food, their holidays, their school systems, and their way of living. I feel like I learn as much from my students as I teach them. Trying to keep up with teenage boys keeps me young,” said Haymore.  

Haymore has been able to take his students sightseeing all over the United States. Some of the places the exchange students have been with their host home father include New York City, Philadelphia, D.C., Disney World, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Virginia Beach. He also takes his students to amusement parks, such as Busch Gardens, Dollywood, and Carowinds.

Outside of being a host home father, Haymore is retired from the Army and is working at Stony Mill Elementary as the bookkeeper and administrative assistant.

“I love it here [Stony Mill] and plan to work until I’m 95 and then retire and become a Walmart greeter in my spare time.  I also plan to continue to host exchange students as long as I can.  It’s fun and not nearly as expensive as most people think,” he said.

Despite the distance separating Haymore from his previous students, he still manages to keep in touch with all eleven of them.

“Some of them are in the university to become leaders in their own countries. One is studying to be a medical doctor, one is studying biomedical engineering, and one wants to be a Wall Street Investment broker. I enjoy the learning experience and the pure cultural exchange of thoughts and ideas.  Most exchange students are quick to provide opinions on American politics, food, and our lack of mass transportation,” said Haymore.

Furthermore, Haymore said, “There is really nothing like being a host father. In a way, it’s like being a grandparent: you get to keep them for a while, but then you can ‘give them back.’”

Jeck, the current exchange student, is from Germany and he is planning on staying in the U.S. for five and a half months. In Germany, he is considered a sophomore. His favorite subject at THS is drama.

“The class is relaxed and funny and the teacher is cool,” said Jeck.

The coolest place he says he has been to while in the U.S. is Washington, D.C.. Jeck says that they visited the capitol building, the White House, and many of the monuments.

After he graduates, Jeck plans on attending university in Germany to study either computer science or law.

“My host home father is great. He has some rules, but they are normal rules. He treats me like a son,” said Jeck.