The Coast Mountains School District is seeing record numbers in its international student program this year, the highest since the program began three years ago.
The district had about 14 students in its first year and 29 last year. This fall, more than 30 students are already in classrooms across Terrace, Kitimat, Hazelton, and Stewart. Another 14 are scheduled to arrive in January, putting the school district on track to have close to 48 students by June of next year.
Program Administrator Joe Dominguez said the sudden growth is coming from positive experiences spreading overseas.
“A lot of the families that we’ve had are having a wonderful experience, and I think the growth of the program is through word of mouth,” he said.
“A lot of people are having a positive experience and telling their friends about it, and that’s why we’re able to accommodate more and more students.”
Most students are arriving from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Brazil, and new partnerships overseas are helping expand interest. Dominguez said recruiting agencies are now steering students away from overcrowded areas in the Lower Mainland and toward the Northwest, where fewer international students mean a more authentic experience.
“A lot of people are not wanting to send their kids to Vancouver or bigger districts, because in one district, out of the 600 international students that they have in the Lower Mainland, 125 of them were German. When they’re saturated with students from that same country, they’re just speaking their language, and then they’re not mixing with the other students. So that’s not the case for us.”
The surge in numbers is bringing attention to housing needs. Students do not live in dorms, and instead stay with local host families. Dominguez said the entire program depends on those households.
“Without families opening their homes, we don’t have a program. They are the backbone of the program,” he explained.
“When families open their home, they treat them like their own kids, and most of our families, if not all, are having a wonderful experience.”
The jump in participation is also tied to the region’s scenery and outdoor access. For many students, the Northwest looks like the Canada they imagined. Dominguez said their first reaction tends to be the same.
“They’re amazed at how crisp the air is, how nature is right there,” he said. “The look on their faces when they see a bear… they’re like, is this really happening?”
Terrace city council praised the record totals this week, pointing to new cultural exposure, tourism interest, and global friendships. Dominguez said more households will be needed as demand continues to rise, adding that the school district intends to continue growing the program responsibly.
