The Avon Maitland District School Board's international program continues to grow.
International Education Administrator Steve Howe says the board has been welcoming international students for four years.
They currently have about 120 international students already signed up for this September, and he expects they'll surpass last year's 160 by the start of the school year.
For the first time, they have students coming from Italy, Belgium, and Taiwan this fall and Howe says each one of them becomes another ambassador for the Avon Maitland program.
Howe also points out the classroom experience is only part of the appeal, and the host families play a huge part in making the overall experience a good one for international students.
He says the Brazilian students make extensive use of Facebook to send pictures and videos of their experiences here back to friends at home, and it's no surprise they have a group of students from Brazil every year.