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Get Involved Today – Host a Student in 2008 |
In just a few short weeks, AYA will complete another successful placement season, bringing nearly 1,000 excited young students from all over the world to wonderful host families. But we still need your help!
We are still seeking host families for 2008; please consider opening your home for a semester or a year and making a difference – for a student and for your family.
We are also looking for temporary arrival families to host students for 4-6 weeks after their arrival.
With AYA and our Cultural Activity Fund (CAF), hosting is a little easier for your family. Tax credits for hosting, AYA travel vouchers, and our dedicated staff are just a few more reasons to make 2008 the year to get involved.
Whether you have hosted before or just started thinking about it, please take the time to view some of our student profiles and read about the experiences of our students and host families.
Call (800) 322-4678 ext. 5164 or email sjacaruso@aifs.org today to find out more about hosting, or visit www.academicyear.org. |
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 Anita from Germany
CBX056
- Anita is considerate, spontaneous, and friendly.
- In her spare time she goes to an art school, where she loves to draw.
- Anita likes to go swimming in the summer and plays handball with her friends in school. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and meeting her friends.
- Anita is a diligent student who knows that school performance is important. She wants to study medicine or economics in the future.
- In the U.S., Anita hopes to make many friends, join in sports, perfect her English skills, and participate fully within her family.
 Robin from Germany
CBX052
- Robin is adaptable, open-minded, and talkative.
- He likes to go skiing with his friends in the winter and takes part in ski races in the country. In the summer he goes mountain biking and mountain climbing with his father and friends. He regularly meets his friends to go swimming or to the cinema. He likes to inline skate too. Once a week he practices target shooting at a shooting club.
- Robin is an excellent student. He likes to study physics, chemistry, and information technology. He likes these subjects because he is curious about how things work. In the future he would like to become a jet pilot.
- Robin is looking forward to meeting his new family and taking part in all family activities. He would like to continue biking and skiing if possible.
 Jinlu from China
DEM048
- Jinlu is a logical, thoughtful, and mature young lady.
- She is very of fond of writing and feels she can express her thoughts and beliefs in the written word. At school, she is the editor of the Writing Association. Jinlu would like to utilize this experience in her future and become a writer, then editor of a newspaper.
- She also acts as a class assistant to her teachers and helps to plan activities, as well as helps classmates who are having difficulties.
- She describes her family as a very happy one. Her grandmother lives with her, and Jinlu admires the fact that she is very kind and always smiles at others.
- Jinlu know that she will take advantage of every opportunity in the U.S. and that she will cherish the exchange experience here.
 Yang from China
DEM036
- Yang is confident, energetic and clever.
- At school he is involved in the music club, basketball team, and English Corner. He loves singing in the school choir, often taking part in campus singing contests.
- He is a good student in school and currently is a class leader and the administrative secretary of two clubs.
- His favorite subjects are English and Math.
- Through this year-long stay in America, Yang will improve his English skills and become more independent while he immerses himself in American culture, family life, and school. In the U.S. Yang would like to continue singing and playing basketball and ping-pong.
Visit http://www.academicyear.org/stu_profiles.asp to view more profiles.
Contact Stella Jacaruso at (800) 322-4678 ext 5164 or sjacaruso@aifs.org to find out how you and your family can host any of the wonderful students coming to America! |
Celebrating Chinese New Year |
Anny (Yi Fan Zhu), an exchange student at Wheeler High School in Wheeler, Mississippi, celebrated Chinese New Year with adopted Chinese children in Tupelo. Anny entertained the group by playing her Chinese instrument. She signed each child’s book by writing the girl's name in Chinese. Anny is hosted by Joyce Bearden. |
A Letter from AIFS Germany |
Dear All,
We have received a very nice two-page thank-you letter from Joerg and Elke Adam, whose son Michael was placed with the Loganbill family in Moundridge, Kansas.
Since this is such a nice letter, we would like to share the content with you:
They wrote that their thanks goes out to all of us from AIFS/AYA who helped make this year so successful, and especially to the host parents, host siblings, and host grandparents – but the Adams would like to take out the “host” because the family has been so much more for Michael. They would like to express their deepest respect and sincerest thanks to the family and the LC, Marla Frazer.
Michael’s stay in Moundridge was a formative experience, which he will profit from for the rest of his life. He has been lucky to have found a home with a very loving and open family. He was integrated into the family within no time, calling Shelly and Kevin Loganbill Mom and Dad and becoming a “brother” to his host siblings. He was involved in all of the family’s activities (going to church on Sundays, going to the movies, helping on the grandparent’s farm, and attending weddings), which helped him feel at home very quickly.
The school experience was also very special for him. Through participating in sports, he found friends easily and was honored to fight for his team and attend the games of his host siblings, holding his thumbs up for them. Many relatives, members of the church, friends, and neighbors gave him a warm welcome and made room in their hearts for him.
Shortly after his arrival, Michael turned 17. Within a few days his host family had organized gifts, cake and a barbeque for him.
There are many other small details in their letter that describe Michael's perfect experience, thanks to a caring host family, LC, and community.
The Adams want the Loganbill family to become the “Host family of the year 2008!”
Warm wishes from Bonn,
Birthe Ringhoff
Deputy Program Manager
High School International |
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