The following articles are great examples of AFS-USA programs, students and families featured in the Media. Use these pieces to promote AFS in your area and as inspiration for pitching stories to your own local media outlets! You can find press release templates and pitching tips on the Field Hub, under the Downloads section of the Resources page.

AFS Exchange Student Plays Cello With Yo-Yo Ma

German AFS Exchange Student, Philipp Kunze, had the opportunity to play cello alongside world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma earlier this month. Ma played second cello while Kunze played the first solo in a Vivaldi concerto. Kunze was an exchange student at Kenwood High School in Chicago, IL. Watch Kunze and Ma play with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Kenwood High School on YouTube. You can also read about Ma’s efforts to bring people together through classical music in the Chicago Tribune.

AFS Exchange Students Share Their Experiences in the U.S. This Year

The Boston Globe recently interviewed several AFS Exchange Students in the final days of their study abroad programs in the Massachusetts Bay Area this year. The students reflected on the memories they’ve made and the lessons they’ve learned from their experiences in the U.S. Read the Boston Globe for the full article.  

AFS Project: Change Winner Featured in the Wisconsin State Journal

Each week, the Wisconsin State Journal publishes a feature article on education, known as its “School Spotlight.” This past week’s Spotlight featured AFS Project: Change winner, Erin Schmitz, who will travel to Guatemala with AFS this summer to carry out her project idea focusing on environmental preservation and sustainability. Read the full feature in the Wisconsin State Journal. 

Building a More Just and Peaceful World in the U.S.

This Fourth of July weekend, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece on the necessity of domestic student exchange programs, especially in today’s politically divided U.S. Organizations that have held domestic exchanges, including AFS, were mentioned in the article and several domestic exchange participants shared the invaluable lessons they learned through their experiences. Read more on the The Wall Street Journal.