The purpose of the Impact St. Louis Awards from Gateway to Dreams is to recognize and celebrate people and organizations in the St. Louis metropolitan area that exhibit a kind and giving heart. Through this acknowledgement, we can inspire more people and organizations to do the same and improve our community.

This year’s recipient is Sydney Finan, AFS Volunteer in MOGY (Missouri Gateway Team). Sydney was nominated by James Butler, former MOGY Team Development Specialist.

Syd has hosted 14 high school exchange students from 13 countries. She always selects a different country so that she and her family can learn about a different culture.  Syd has brought cultural diversity to not just her family, but to her neighbors and the community at large and to these students who not only interact with American students but other exchange students from around the world.

One of Syd’s students who came from a very poor rural community wanted a library for the village. While the student assumed the leadership role in South Africa by raising the funds to build a one room reading library, it was Syd who took the lead in the United States and oversaw the contribution of several thousand b

ooks and the cost-effective shipment of those books to South Africa.

Syd has had a ripple effect by introducing the students to friends, neighbors, colleagues, other family members. In the process of doing this Syd has influenced many other people to also make the decision to host. This is her impact as a host parent.  However, for the past 26 years Syd has been an AFS volunteer in 12 different positions from hosting volunteer, host family interviewer, sending interviewer, fundraiser, Orientations te

am leader, etc. Most recently Syd has been the Chair of the Missouri Gateway Team which has 150 volunteers and covers all of Missouri (except for the Kansas City area) and includes the “Metro East” area of Illinois. In this role, Syd helps brings 50 plus students to the Missouri/ Metro East area each year.

Her contribution comes from the desire to make a difference and be part of the global diplomacy effort on the familial level one student at a time. The cumulative effect is the enrichment of many lives.