Stories from Academic Year in America

  • Home
  • About the AYA Blog
  • Host Family Stories
  • Exchange Student Stories
  • FAQs
  • Request Info
  • Apply

100 Volunteer Hours and Counting!

May 29, 2018 AYA 1 Comment

3 Things You Can Learn About a Different Culture By Hosting an Exchange Student | Academic Year in America (AYA) | Host an Exchange Student

AYA student Leonie from Germany has just completed a personal goal that she set for herself for the year: to complete 100 hours of volunteer work! Read on to learn more about her challenge and the lessons she learned along the way. “My name is Leonie and I’m a German exchange … [Read more...]

Exchange Student Stories Academic Year in America, community service, Exchange Student, german exchange student, germany, high school international exchange, virginia, volunteering

Holiday Volunteering: A Fun Way to Experience Cultural Firsts!

October 19, 2017 AYA 1 Comment

Sweta enjoys her first Halloween with friends

Sweta and friends enjoying her first time trick or treating The holiday season is upon us. For AYA exchange participants, this is a prime time for new experiences that are both meaningful and a whole lot of fun. When we share each other's traditions at these times, we … [Read more...]

Exchange Student Stories, Volunteerism Stories AYA, cultural exchange, holidays, international high school exchange, kansas, volunteering

AYA Student Volunteers: Habitat for Humanity

April 13, 2016 AYA Leave a Comment

Foreign Exchange Students Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Ohio

Community service is often an engaging and rewarding way foreign exchange students can learn something new, help out and have fun as part of a team. In Ohio, Local Coordinator Cindy Anderson arranged for a group of AYA foreign exchange students to volunteer with Habitat for … [Read more...]

Exchange Student Stories, Volunteerism Stories Academic Year in America, community, Community Local Coordinator Volunteering, community service, exchange students, foreign exchange, habitat for humanity, high school exchange year, international exchange, national volunteer week, volunteer, volunteering

Happy National Volunteer Week from AYA!

April 12, 2016 AYA Leave a Comment

International exchange students volunteer with Academic Year in America (AYA) for Habitat for Humanity

It’s National Volunteer Week! This is a very important week for Academic Year in America, because the success of our programs depends so much upon volunteers. To all of our volunteer host families, we send out a hearty and sincere THANK YOU! Your generosity and kindness in … [Read more...]

Exchange Student Stories, Volunteerism Stories academic year, community, community service, exchange students, foreign exchange students, giving back, host family, local coordinator, national volunteer week, volunteer, volunteering

LC of the Month: Maria from Texas

August 6, 2015 AYA 1 Comment

Local Coordinator Volunteer LC of the Month Academic Year in America

AYA is gearing up to welcome their 2015-2016 AYA students and we asked our National office to nominate LCs who have gone the extra mile and really shined this past month. New LC Maria from Texas is our LC of the month. Congratulations Maria! … [Read more...]

Local Coordinator Stories LC of the month, local coordinator, volunteering

A YES Student Story: “My Greatest Role Model for our Exchange Students”

June 4, 2015 AYA Leave a Comment

Terri from New York has been an AYA Local Coordinator since 2011. Terri is always encouraging her students to live out their dreams during their stay in the U.S. Hear from her how supporting Abrar from Pakistan has given him the chance to accomplish his dream of coming to the … [Read more...]

Exchange Student Stories, Volunteerism Stories grants program, local coordinator, volunteering, YES student

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

About AYA

AYA logo

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 >

Search

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

Categories

  • Exchange Student Stories
  • FAQs
  • Host Family Stories
  • Local Coordinator Stories
  • News
  • Volunteerism Stories

Recent Posts

  • Student of the Month: Fateen from Bangladesh, Hosted in Oregon
  • J-1 vs F-1 High School Exchange Programs: What’s the Difference?
  • Student of the Month: Lina from Tunisia, Hosted in Indiana
  • Student of the Month: Lotta from Germany, Hosted in Arkansas
  • Student of the Month: Telmo from Spain, Hosted in Indiana

Follow blog via email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2026 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in