From the AFS-USA President & CEO, Tara Boyce-Hofmann
As we welcome the arrival of spring, we also take this opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the remarkable achievements and dedication of individuals and institutions that embody the spirit of global citizenship and education. For me, It has been an honor to have recently met some of the educators who’ve been the recipients of this year’s AFS-USA and US Department of State awards and recognition. I’ve heard a number of them speak about their passion for the role of global education in their schools and, in all honesty, I’ve been moved, inspired, and reinvigorated!
As you read about and reflect on their remarkable achievements, I encourage you to consider how your work contributes to our shared mission of promoting intercultural exchange and understanding. Whether by nominating yourself, your school, or a deserving colleague for future awards, or by exploring opportunities to welcome international students into your community, together we can continue to make a profound impact on the lives of young people around the world.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to global education!
Warm Regards,
Tara
Opportunities for Educators –
Resources, and more!
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Learn about Pakistani traditions, cuisine, and more! There’s no better time to increase your knowledge of the world and we hope you’ll have fun doing just that with us on April 23rd at 8:00pm Eastern time. Register today! |
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FREE Virtual Classroom Exchange Opportunity |
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Rick Steves Video Resource Library |
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Recipes from Abroad! Inside this recipe book, you’ll find everything from 26 different students representing foods from 16 countries on 4 continents. What a great treat to explore during your summer break! |
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Meet the 2024 AFS-USA Global Award Winners
Elizabeth Chapman, an English Language Arts teacher and study abroad coordinator at Bellaire High School in Houston, Texas was named the 2024 AFS-USA Global Educator of the Year for her commitment to bring global experiences to the students in her building and district and for her skills and advocacy related to internationalizing her ELA curriculum for students. Read more about Elizabeth here.
Hingham High School in Massachusetts received the 2024 AFS-USA Global School of the Year Award for their deep-rooted commitment to a building-wide initiative for curriculum internationalization and more than 60 years of international exchange that they’ve supported and encouraged in their community. Read more about Hingham High School here.
See the criteria for the awards to consider nominating yourself, your school, or a colleague here.
Photo #1 – Elizabeth Chapman is pictured between Tara Hofmann, AFS-USA President and CEO (left) and Chris Miner, U.S. Department of State Managing Director for Professional and Cultural Exchanges (right).
Photo #2 (from left to right) – Tara Hofmann, Richard Swanson, Principal of Hingham High School (HHS), Chris Miner,
Erica Pollard, World Language Department Chair at HHS,
and Kara Roth, English Teacher at HHS.
Meet the 2024 AFS
Youth Assembly Scholarship Winners
The following young educators were selected to join educators from around the world for the Global Educators Academy in New York City this August for the 29th AFS Youth Assembly!
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Yara Barbosa – East Kentwood High School (MI) To be notified when the 2025 nomination process begins, please complete this quick form and we’ll let you know! |
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Celebrating our 2024 Medallion Member Schools
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The U.S. Department of State recognizes schools that choose to host one of the highly competitive, merit-based scholarship winners from any of three programs (YES, FLEX, and CBYX). These schools set themselves apart by demonstrating a commitment to academic and cultural enrichment for their students through international exchange. Congratulations to the 208 schools who have become Medallion Member Schools with AFS in 2023-2024. If your school would like to become a Medallion Member School for 2024-2025, consider inviting a student like Aima to join your school. Listen to Aima introduce herself here! Please reach out to us with questions! |
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Opportunities for Your Students
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AFS Global You Adventurer offers an exceptional opportunity for teens aged 14-17 to embark on a transformative, research-validated 5-week virtual exchange program from home with a global network of peers. Students will sharpen their critical thinking and communication skills in an intercultural environment and gain a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives and cultures. Plus, they’ll earn the AFS Global Competence Certificate, a valuable addition to future academic or professional pursuits. Spots are limited for the upcoming May cohort, but they can join in July and August 2024 too! |
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 Jill Woerner E: [email protected] |