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Welcome to the May edition!
Happy Spring! Thank you for being the heart of the AFS-USA community. Your decision to host embodies a deep commitment to the educational growth of young people and a desire to enrich your community with intercultural understanding. We simply couldn't achieve our mission without your generosity.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of you who participated in our recent Founders' Day initiative! Your engagement and enthusiasm in celebrating the rich history and enduring impact of AFS were truly appreciated.
You may also enjoy our new impact page, where you can see amazing AFS-USA spotlights. If you’d like to share your experience as part of the AFS -USA community, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at marketing@afsusa.org to share your story.
 With appreciation,
Julie Ball
Senior Director of Marketing and External Communications
AFS-USA
P.S. Don’t forget to check out recent editions of the Global Family Newsletter for more tips and resources!
Explore these Newsletter Highlights
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Congratulations to the winners of our AFS Growing Together Video contest: The Raca Family, currently hosting Javkhlan from Mongolia and Anatole from France!
During Host Family Appreciation Month celebration, we asked students and their host families to create videos encapsulating the spirit of their AFS experience. The Raca family understood the assignment, submitting this creative video that showcases the joy and connection they’ve found through their time together.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to share with us what being part of a host family means for you.
PS. It’s never too late to send us photos, videos, and stories – visit bit.ly/AFSUSAUpload to share with us today!
Question: Do you have any advice on how new host families can prepare to host a student before the student arrives?
Advice from other AFS-USA community members:
- Talk to an urgent care that’s convenient to you about accepting the AFS participant medical plan, which is administered by Cigna and by Willis Towers Watson GmbH. If your student(s) get sick and everyone is stressed, you won’t have to be figuring out the world of medical coverage at the same time.
- Create spaces in the home just for the student(s). For example, a small space in the fridge, a place to hang their coat, etc. so that the student(s) feel like a member of the household right away.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Our mental health is foundational to our ability to think, interact, and enjoy life. When we have good mental health, we can face life challenges with resilience and cope with difficult times. Knowing and attending to our mental health should be given the same devotion we put towards our physical health.
Teachers are often some of the most influential people students encounter during their exchange experience. The dedication and care of educators across the country help create welcoming classrooms where exchange students can learn, grow, and feel at home - which is why they deserve to be celebrated!
During this week-long celebration, we encourage our community to show teachers how much we value their role in the AFS-USA community.
We're asking students currently hosted in the U.S. to highlight their favorite teachers by sharing what makes them so special. The winner will receive exciting educator-themed prizes as a gift to their teacher! Visit this Help & Learning article to learn more about the contest and please encourage your student(s) to participate. Thank you for helping us show teachers just how important their work is!
May is when local volunteers plan your team’s Departure Webinar session, which should take place around 10-14 days before departure day. Host parents and students can expect to learn about travel plans for Departure Day, airport arrival plans, and the return journey home, as well as best practices while traveling. Please contact your team travel representative or a local volunteer leader to confirm a student’s return date.
View more details on 2026 departure preparation here.
To learn more about Sponsored Programs departures, please read this article.
Address End-of-Year Emotions
As the end of the program approaches, you and your student(s) are likely experiencing a wide range of emotions. To ensure that the remainder of your hosting journey is successful:
- Make a plan with your student(s) about what the rest of the year is going to look like and how you will remain touch after they return home.
- Talk to your student(s) about what you've accomplished together and what you have learned from one another.
- Meet with your local AFS-USA student-family liaison in person at least once before departure, especially if you feel like there has been a shift in your student's demeanor or in your family dynamic that raises concern.
As the school year comes to a close for your student(s), please consider the following items:
- Make sure to follow the school’s plan for turning in textbooks, laptops, library books, etc. to avoid any fees that show up after your student(s) have left.
- Determine a plan for your student’s lunch account—request a refund, transfer to a sibling, donate to another student, etc.
- Make sure your student(s) have any documentation that they need from the school BEFORE the school closes or reduces their hours for the summer (i.e. official transcript, record of attendance, class syllabus, apostille).
- Your student's English ability is probably at its highest level, and it would be a great time to schedule any language testing prior to departure, if desired.
- Remind your student(s) about safety & AFS-USA policies. End-of-year events can involve risks like alcohol or drugs—encourage them to contact you or their support volunteer if needed, and review AFS-USA guidelines together.
Spring cleaning is here! With the program ending in a few weeks, early May is a great time to talk with your student(s) about packing and tidying their room. Packing things like winter clothing and souvenirs well in advance of departures can help limit stress in the days leading up to your student’s return home and allow you to focus on closing out this experience in a positive way. Encouraging a deep clean now also prevents procrastination and avoids leaving a mess behind!
Bring a taste of Brazil into your kitchen with a few delicious, easy-to-make recipes you can try at home! It’s a fun way to experience the rich flavors and traditions of this vibrant culture.
Not a fan of cooking? No problem! Take a few minutes to explore the history and customs that make Brazilian culture so unique.
At the beginning of April, an email was sent to all host families of students participating in one of the U.S. Department of State’s scholarship programs (CBYX, FLEX, and YES) highlighting the Medallion Program, a distinguished recognition in global education awarded on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to U.S. high schools that host students through these scholarship programs.
Medallion Program certificates were sent directly to students to present at school or community events, offering a meaningful opportunity to publicly thank the schools and communities supporting their exchange experience.
Host families of students who have not yet presented their Medallion certificates and need guidance or any host family who would like more information about hosting future German CBYX students for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year are encouraged to contact: ECAprograms@afsusa.org.
 AFS-USA Silver & Gold Area Team’s FLEX student, Bibi Bartova from Tajikistan, presenting the Medallion Certificate to the El Dorado School Board in Placerville, California.
In case you missed it, here is the May YES and FLEX Newsletter that was sent out on May 1st to YES and FLEX students and host families!
If you know of an outstanding YES or FLEX student, please nominate them here by May 11th to be considered for the Department of State’s YES and FLEX Student of the Month.
Any ideas on how we can improve the host family newsletter? Please complete a one-minute survey!
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