By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

Susan Caitlyn and her parents, Roger and Lucille Seavey, are anxiously awaiting a new addition to their family - but not in a traditional sense. 

On Aug. 6, Gotje Ellebrecht is expected to travel from Germany and attend Kennebunk High School in the fall through the Youth for Understanding International Exchange. 

“She’s really excited,” now that a date for her arrival has been scheduled, Roger Seavey said. 

The Seavey family said they are excited too, especially Susan Caitlyn Seavey, 11, who said “it’s going to be awesome” to have a sister figure in the house for the next year. 

This is not the first time Roger and Lucille Seavey have hosted an exchange student. Lucille Seavey said they hosted students between 1993 and 1997 after learning they couldn’t have biological children. 

“We started with Big Brothers Big Sisters and decided we wanted something more permanent,” Lucille Seavey said, adding they hosted students for periods of a weekend up to one year. “And when we decided we wanted something even more permanent, we adopted Susan Caitlyn.”

This time around, Lucille Seavey said they wanted to host an exchange student to give Susan Caitlyn the experience of learning a different culture and having a temporary sister. 

“One thing we’ve talked about is [the exchange student] has to be a good match for the family,” Roger Seavey said. 

In the process of applying as a host family, Roger Seavey said they had to fill out a questionnaire.  Youth for Understanding then sends potential matches for the family to review. 

Lucille Seavey said Ellebrecht’s profile had a lot of qualities the family was looking for, including a willingness to go to church, strong academics and an interest in gymnastics. 

“But matching every same interest isn’t always the best because they are coming here for an experience,” Lucille Seavey said. 

Both Lucille and Roger Seavey said it is as much an experience for students as it is for families hosting them. 

“You learn about your own culture. It’s not just them coming in and them learning. One former exchange [student] from Germany was amazed from all the American flags in people’s yards,” Lucille Seavey said. 

She said it heightened her  awareness of patriotism in the Kennebunks. 

“It’s a great experience to get to know another culture first hand from a young person,” said Alanna Chochrek,  Youth for Understanding coordinator for recruitment and development.

She said Youth for Understand was founded in response to animosity between Germany and U.S. after World War II. A group of students from Michigan exchanged with a group of students from Germany, and it caught on from there, Chochrek said. 

“The mission statement is Youth for Understanding prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world,” Chochrek said. 

Now, with 65 countries involved in Youth for Understanding nearly 2,000 exchange students are in the U.S. every year, Chochrek said.

She said they are between the ages of 15 and 19 and attend local high schools. More than 300 students are coming to the greater New England area and 22 are still waiting for host families, Chochrek said. 

“We look for families who will open their arms and welcome in students as their son or daughter for the year, not just a visitor,” Chochrek said, adding families are asked to provide students with three meals a day, a bed to sleep and an area to study. 

Roger and Lucille Seavey said they have been spending time reorganizing their house to make room for Ellebrecht, including finding an extra bed.

Susan Caitlyn Seavey said she hopes to find bunk beds for her and Gotje for the year to share.

“We are fortunate to have the Seavey’s hosting and thankful for Principal Pete Dawson for accepting Gotje at the high school,” Chochrek said. 

Families interested in learning more about hosting exchange students through Youth for Understanding should contact Chochrek at 866-493-8872 ext. 1110.

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.