The AFS-USA Mission Award recognizes an individual who holds, or has previously held, a volunteer leadership role at the chapter, team, or national level. This award recognizes an outstanding volunteer who has made a significant impact in promoting the core values and mission of AFS through their leadership. Most recently the award was presented to Barb Kelly of the Greater Chicago Area Team and Nancy Bridges of the Heartland Area Team.

The 2019 AFS-USA Mission Award recipient was Barb Kelly of the Greater Chicago Area Team.

“If you were to look closely behind the cool sunglasses of the Energizer Bunny, I bet that you would see the face of Barb Kelly. Barb has been a global active citizen with AFS for many years starting back when she was working full time as a teacher and raising her four adopted kids. Today she is retired, helping with her grandkids and has overcome a couple bouts with cancer, but none of that has slowed her down. She lives the AFS mission of working toward a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities.

The 2020 AFS-USA Mission Award was awarded to Nancy Bridges of the Heartland Area Team.

Nancy Bridges embodies the AFS-Mission’s words: “empowers people”; “globally engaged citizens”; “meaningful intercultural experiences”; “knowledge and skills”; and “to create a more just and peaceful world”. Nancy lives and breathes AFS. She is always the one who is either stepping in to fill a void or seeking out new ways to engage the students in learning opportunities/social activities for the entire team of 50-60 students.

We eagerly await the announcement of the 2021 Mission Award Recipient who will be announced at the AFS Summit in November. We look forward to celebrating with volunteers in person and virtually when all award recipients are announced on Sunday, November 7.