While every AYA student is committed to cultural exchange and intercultural learning, some truly go above and beyond—creating a lasting impact on their host family and community that deserves a special shoutout. Estefania from Germany is an exceptional example of this commitment and the winner of our Student of the Month award for May 2026!
Currently hosted in Florida, Estefania is the perfect embodiment of the AYA spirit, bringing enthusiasm and intercultural curiosity with her wherever she goes. Join us as we learn more about Estefania’s exchange experience in Florida and what’s made her journey one to remember.
Read on to learn more about Estefania’s high school exchange journey in Florida.
“Estefania is a wonderful example of how a student’s attitude determines the outcome of the entire exchange. She wakes up daily and thanks God for three things in her life and she focuses on the positives in every situation. She makes an effort to complete this before she gets out of bed and this mindset sets the stage for how she handles the events of each day.
She looks at events through the lens of gratitude and values each new and different experience.
She began her exchange year without a single expectation, not one. Instead of asking her host family to entertain her, she asked how she could help.
Estefania came to America with an open mind and to grow internally and to become more mature. She accomplished her goals and had a lot of fun along the way.
She realizes this is one small part of her life that can have a huge and powerful impact on her future. She is striving to make the most of every single day by savoring the unexpected and routine moments as much as the super, amazing, exciting experiences.
Estefania longs to be a teacher one day, and she had the chance to come to work with her LC and teach the class about Germany. She graciously answered so many questions and gave an inspirational and educational cultural presentation.
Whatever career she chooses, those around her will benefit from her upbeat personality and ability to see the good in each and every situation in life.” — Joanna, Estefania’s Local Coordinator in Florida
Did you know you can host an exchange student like Estefania?
Host families from across the United States come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’d like to host for a full school year, a semester, or just for a few weeks as Welcome Family, you can make an impact on an exchange student’s life by hosting!
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