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Meet the Global Youth Trailblazer Grant Recipients for 2025

February 28, 2025 AYA Leave a Comment

youth put hands in

This year, Academic Year in America (AYA) launched the Global Youth Trailblazer Grant to empower exchange students and host community members to create meaningful, student-led projects that foster international understanding, social responsibility, and positive change. Applicants … [Read more...]

Volunteers arkansas, exchange students, germany, host siblings, new york, north carolina, pakistan, texas, volunteer

A Message from a Happy Host Mom

August 8, 2017 AYA 2 Comments

AYA host students at the beach

Despite the tears from missing her two host daughters, Laura and Parn, Tina shares how she is a very happy host mom. I have spent the last ten months building a relationship with two girls I hosted as exchange students. I never imagined that I would get as attached to them as … [Read more...]

Host Families, Students Academic Year in America, AYA, cultural exchange, high school homestay, host families, host mom, host siblings

Reflections on a Five-Year Adventure with AYA

August 23, 2016 AYA Leave a Comment

Host Mother Reflects on Five-Year Journey with AYA | Academic Year in America

Sharing each other's culture and living as family can lead to some pretty great experiences and cherished memories. It is not surprising, but always wonderful to hear when host families and AYA exchange students form lasting bonds. The following contribution is from host mom … [Read more...]

Host Families, Students Academic Year in America, AYA, cultural exchange, exchange students, exchange year, high school exchange year, host family, host siblings, why hosting matters

About AYA

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AYA is sponsored by the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1967. Its mission is to promote worldwide understanding through cultural exchange. Learn more >

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Recent Posts

  • Student of the Month: Thore from Germany, Hosted in Arkansas
  • AYA Students in Action: The Results of the Global Youth Trailblazer Grants
  • AYA Exchange Student from Mali Chosen as Prestigious Student Speaker
  • Four Exceptional Host Families: AYA’s 2024-2025 Host Family of the Year Runners-Up 
  • Can Families with Older Children Host an Exchange Student? 

LC of the month

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We love to recognize our field staff every month by asking … [Read More...]

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