American Field Service
The American Field Service is a program for foreign exchange students. The purpose of this program is to help students experience a new school, a new family, and a new way of life in a country different from their own. Terri Windsor, liaison and chairperson, gives the breakdown of the program.
“Students from 90 different countries have the opportunity to experience a new school for a semester or school year. They are housed by a family who volunteers to take in students as their own for that time,” Windsor said.
Being a part of the host family requires the student to act as one of their own. One must follow their rules and treat the student as family. Each host family gets a background check to make sure they are eligible to host a student.
The program works to make sure that students are safe with the family and in the school.
“There are more than 424,000 families and students worldwide embracing a new culture. More than 44,000 volunteers worldwide make this program possible.”
AFS is a great program to be involved in and gives students the opportunities to travel and experience new ways of life.
For interest or more information about this program, please contact Terri Windsor at [email protected] or the American Field Service at www.afusa.org.
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Terri Windsor • Jan 24, 2017 at 11:16 am
Thank you for writing such a great article. AFS is receiving some wonderful bios from students all over the world who are involved with AFS. The students and families go through a background check. The students are required to have their own bed, and can share a bedroom with 1 other person of the same sex.
I would love to see a couple of foreign exchange students placed with Poland families. Poland is such a wonderful community, and in the past have welcomed many students.