How Studying Abroad Has Broadened an AFSer’s Perspective

Kyla McKim had a fruitful study abroad experience in Germany last year. As the recipient of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange scholarship program, she traveled from Pennsylvania to Germany to study abroad for 10 months. During her time as an exchange student, she learned how to assimilate to life in Germany, traveled with her host family, and even squeezed in basketball practice with a local men’s basketball club. Read about McKim’s study abroad story at Lancaster Online.

AFS Host Parent Attends Nobel Prize Ceremony

An AFS Host Parent from North Carolina talked about reuniting with his exchange students in Norway, and recalled how he was able to attend The Novel Prize Ceremony last December. Read the full story at The Courier-Tribune.

YES Student Hopes to Increase Women’s Rights Awareness in Palestine

An AFS-hosted YES student from Palestine recently won a competition to participate in a week-long Civic Education Workshop, funded by the U.S. Department of State. The thoughtful essay he submitted explained women’s involvement in Palestinian politics. He also wrote about his desire to increase understanding and awareness back in his home country. Learn about the benefits of hosting an exchange student and read the YES student’s winning essay at KPCNews.

Dare-to-Dive: How A YES Alumnus Uses Swimming Lessons to Empower Disabled Students

A YES Alumnus from Ghana, who was hosted in Virginia through AFS, was awarded a YES Alumni Grant to establish Dare-to-Dive, a project to empower students with disabilities by teaching them how to swim. Alhaji “Pjay” Mohamed was inspired to start the project from his own experience as a disabled student. While he was studying abroad, he received swimming lessons as a gift from his host mother, which gave him the confidence to tackle new challenges. Today, as a student at the University of Ghana, he has trained 15 students with disabilities through his Dare-to-Dive program. Read the full story at YES Stories.