AFS Intercultural Programs began as the American Field Ambulance Services in World War I and II, when volunteers—often university students—served as ambulance drivers. Many wanted to join the military but were unable due to health issues, so they served in this humanitarian role instead. After returning from war, these men pooled their resources to establish the American Field Service.
On the 250th anniversary of the United States, AFS celebrates its 77th year. Throughout decades of change, AFS has stayed true to its mission: fostering intercultural understanding to build a more peaceful world. AFS is a nonprofit international exchange organization. Host families and volunteers are unpaid, and schools enroll AFS high school students without tuition.
MissTennKy Area Team
AFS Intercultural Programs: A Brief History and Local Impact
The Miss Tennky Area Team
The Miss Tennky Area AFS Volunteer Leadership Team is one of ~75 in the U.S., covering Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama, with registered volunteers in each state. AFS currently operates in 55+ countries with 32,000 volunteers worldwide. Programs include year, semester, summer, and gap-year exchanges, as well as teacher exchanges and scholarships.
Programs and Achievements
AFS operations began in Manhattan, later moving to regional offices, and now return to NYC headquarters with regional directors in the field. The Miss Tennky Area Team has consistently met its goals, hosting students and offering orientations, events, and support.
Tennessee has a proud AFS history. WWII ambulance driver Ed Lannon hailed from Obion, TN. In the 1950s, Myra Kimmelan introduced AFS to Oak Ridge and Oliver Springs. Harpeth Hall Academy in Nashville and Clarksville High School were also early adopters, thanks to educators like Ms. Dorothy Russo. Families such as the Wilsons, Harpels, Orgains, and Bibbs were among the first hosts. Lebanon High School joined in the 1980s and 90s.
In the mid-1980s, the program expanded into the Greater Nashville Volunteer Leadership Team, later renamed the Miss Tennky Area Team. Early revitalizers included Becky Heywood (current Area Chair), Dr. Barbara Y. Wills (PR Chair), Jerry Westbrook, and Eva Wike.
Get Involved
We always welcome new volunteers.
If your community group is interested in partnering, please contact:
Becky Heywood
Area Chair, Miss Tennky AFS
615-473-4389 | [email protected]
Written by Dr. Barbara Y. Wills
PR Chair, Miss Tennky AFS
615-210-1552 | [email protected]
Open Volunteer Positions
AFS’s most valuable asset is arguably its worldwide network of volunteers. Over the past 60 years, the AFS network has become one of the largest volunteer-based organizations of its kind in the world spanning more than 50 countries. The AFS-USA commitment to volunteering is an important element of our mission statement which reads:
“AFS-USA works toward a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities through a global volunteer partnership”
Volunteerism is deeply embedded in the history and roots of our organization going back to the “volunteer” ambulance drivers who comprised the original American Field Service. Those original volunteers founded AFS Intercultural Programs on the belief that by promoting the exchange of high school students between local communities in the U.S and local communities in other countries, they could foster a worldwide culture of cooperation and understanding among peoples and nations. They also believed that local community volunteers were key to accomplishing this mission. From the very beginning, volunteers have been the heart and soul of the AFS experience – recruiting, preparing, and supporting our program participants, host families, and natural families while promoting intercultural understanding in their communities across the United States and around the world. The passion and dedication our volunteers bring to our programs have a tremendous impact on the experience of our participants and on how our mission and our organization are perceived in the local communities and in the schools in which we work. We do not believe that our organization could have the reach or the overall impact we currently have without our volunteer network.
As we move into the future, AFS-USA continues to be committed to the promotion of volunteerism and to our vision of supporting a volunteer force that represents the rich diversity and culture of the USA. Our network of volunteers and staff is one that works not in silos, but in an environment of true partnership with shared responsibility and accountability in the delivery and support of our AFS mission and programs.
What Local MissTennKy Opportunities are available for Volunteers?
MissTennKy is in need of:
- Hosting Volunteers
- Liaisons
- Sending Interviewers
- Support Volunteers
- Orientation Leaders
Give as much or as little time as you can, just ask where you are needed! No amount of time is too little. Maybe you could pick up students from the airport, or drive to an orientation, maybe you could lead a session with the students or host families at an orientation, maybe you could help potential host families choose a student, maybe you could be in contact once a month with a student and their host family, anything! Learn more and apply at afsusa.org/volunteer.
As a volunteer, you could meet students like Lena from Austria, who attends Millington High School in Millington, TN!
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AFS Local & National Scholarships
Hosting with Pride: An Interview with Six-Time AFS Host Parent and Volunteer, Jerry Gulley
Jerry Gulley grew up in a small town in rural Tennessee. In high school, his best friend’s family decided to host an exchange student, Lisi from Austria in 1985. While Lisi and Jerry were only acquaintances as teenagers, Lisi had a profound impact on Gulley’s life, representing the world and all that existed beyond his rural upbringing.
Calendar of Events
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