Tempe City, Arizona, USA

Sister City

Website: www.tempe.gov About Tempe

Tempe has a population of 158,000 and is centrally located in the state of Arizona approximately 10 minutes from Phoenix City's Sky Harbour International Airport. The city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year, with average annual rainfall of 19.4 cm. Major industries include high technology, manufacturing, education, commerce and tourism. Tempe is also the home of the USA's fifth largest university, Arizona State. Hutt City - Tempe City Exchanges

Lower Hutt City signed a Sister City Agreement with Tempe in 1981, and the 20-year anniversary of the relationship was celebrated in Lower Hutt in February 2001. The Hutt-Tempe relationship has involved a wide range of exchanges, and the Hutt Sister City Foundation currently runs two exchange programmes with Tempe. Student Exchange

This highly successful two-way exchange programme is an opportunity for young people to develop their understanding and experience of other cultures by living with a family in Tempe. After completing a formal selection process including interviews and reviewing essay applications, the Hutt Sister City Foundation selects four young people from Hutt City to take part in the programme. Participants home host their Tempe 'brother' or'sister' for five weeks in June-July and then travel to Tempe for a five-week homestay in July-August. The Hutt Sister City Foundation manages the programme and requires selected students to pay $400.00 towards their airfares; the remainder is paid by Hutt Sister City Foundation. Students are required to pay for their own travel insurance. In return students, together with their parents, are required to participate in Foundation fundraising activities, the proceeds of which are used to run an action-packed programme for the Tempe participants in Hutt City. This exchange is a fantastic opportunity for young people from different cultures to interact with and learn from each other whilst making lifelong friendships. For further information on the Student Exchange contact Jill Sutcliffe of Hutt Sister City Foundation, at: jill_sutcliffe@hotmail.com. Teacher Exchange

This programme aims to complement the professional development of educators in the Hutt Valley and in Tempe. Each year three teachers are selected to take part in the exchange. After hosting three teachers from Tempe in June-July the delegates travel to Tempe where they are home hosted for three weeks over the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Hutt City exchange participants are given the opportunity to observe a variety of classes in Tempe schools, visit with other educators in similar fields as well as the opportunity to travel to other places in the Southwest. The Hutt Sister City Foundation provides a $1500 contribution towards individual airfares.

For further information on the Educator Exchange and to receive an Application Package any time, please contact Jill Sutcliffe at: jill_sutcliffe@hotmail.com.

For general enquiries about the Tempe Sister City relationship contact:
Hutt Sister City Foundation
PO Box 30 930
Lower Hutt