The Study Abroad Outreach Competition is an area team challenge that encourages volunteers to work together and earn points for their area team by completing tasks that promote AFS study abroad (2019 recruitment). The teams with the most points will receive scholarship funds that they can award for their area!

The tasks range from higher level activities, such as presentations, to simple tasks like hanging posters. So, no matter how familiar you are with “sending,” you can participate and earn points!

Fast Facts:

• Goal: Rally your area team to promote study abroad and earn points as a team!
• Competition dates: October 24, 2018 to December 21, 2018

How to Participate:

1. View the list of tasks below to promote study abroad (2019 recruitment).
2. Organize with your team and plan out your tasks.
3. Get out there and promote study abroad!
4. Submit the tasks you’ve completed on the competition form to earn points for your team!

Prizes:

• Scholarship Funds for Tier 1 (Larger Teams)
  • $5,000 in your area team scholarship fund, applicable to any study abroad program in 2019, to give to one student (or split between multiple students) from your area. This could be a full scholarship for a Global Prep trip. Awarded to the team in Tier 1 with the most points verified on the competition form submissions by December 21 by 11:59 PM EST.
• Scholarship Funds for Tier 2 (Smaller Teams)
  • $5,000 in your area team scholarship fund, applicable to any study abroad program in 2019, to give to one student (or split between multiple students) from your area. This could be a full scholarship for a Global Prep trip. Awarded to the team in Tier 2 with the most points verified on the competition form submissions by December 21 by 11:59 PM EST.

Contest Rules:

1. Teams are split into two tiers based on historical sending numbers, hosting numbers, and volunteer numbers to try to create a more level playing field for larger and smaller teams. View this document for a full list of Area Team Tiers. Contact Julie Ball at jball@afsusa.org with any questions.
2. The team with the most points in Tier 1 and the team with the most points in Tier 2 will both win $5,000 in scholarship funds, respectively, to distribute to students in their areas for 2019 study abroad programs. In the event of a tie, a panel of judges will decide the winner based on the number of volunteers who participated and the quality of tasks completed.
3.  All registered volunteers in the area team are eligible to participate.
4.  Team Development Staff (TDS) are able to participate by organizing their volunteers’ efforts, but they CANNOT submit completed tasks on the form for points.
5.  Only tasks completed between the contest dates (October 24 to December 21, 2018 at 11:59 PM EST) will earn points. Tasks submitted after the contest dates will not be counted.
6.  All activities must be logged on the competition form to earn points for your team, and a volunteer must be present for all tasks including presentations/tabling events for it to count.
7.  You can submit multiple activities on one form, and you can submit multiple forms at different times. Provide task details as requested to ensure that duplicates are not entered by mistake.
8.  Competition form submissions are solely for the purpose of tabulating and verifying points for the contest. Volunteers who log campaigns in Global Link must still do so.

List of Tasks, Point Values, and Resources:

1. Presentations & Events
   • Presentations (50 points per location) – Volunteer must be present.
     • Hosted Student Presentation Template
     • Returnee Presentation Template
     • Volunteer Presentation Template
   • Tabling Events (40 points per location) – Volunteer must be present.
     • Order materials for your tabling events on the Field Hub
   • Attend Scholarships Webinars (20 points per webinar)
     • Scholarships 101 – The Basics: Register Here!
     • Scholarships 102 – Developing Local Scholarships: Register Here!
     • Scholarships 103 – Recruiting Diverse Students: Register Here!
2. New Connections
   • Connect with schools that are new to AFS (30 points per school)
     • Reach out to schools using this email template or share afsusa.org/educators/join
   • Establish new contacts at schools that already know AFS (20 points per contact made)
     • Refer to this MyAFS Help & Learning Article: Build Relationships with High Schools 
   • Connect with organizations that promote diversity (25 points per org reached)
     • Learn and share more about AFS-USA Diversity Initiatives
     • LGBTQ Postcard and Students of Color Postcard
   • Call or Email Sending Leads in “Get Started” (15 points per student contacted)
     • Check out this MyAFS Article to Find and Contact Sending Leads.
3. Media Outreach
   • Send a press release or letter to the editor to local media outlets (10 points per outlet)
     • Study Abroad Press Release Generator Form
   • Hang a poster or leave materials (10 points per location)
     • Study Abroad Flyer
   • Update your Facebook Profile Picture with an AFS Frame (5 points, only once)
     • Study Abroad Facebook Photo Frame
   • Post on social media about studying abroad with AFS (5 points, only once)
     • Sample Study Abroad Facebook Post

Thank you for participating and promoting AFS study abroad! Please contact marketing@afsusa.org with any questions.