Recent News

---

July 4, 2007
Welcome Home Returnees!!

You are invited to a Welcome Home Picnic and Returnee Re-entry Orientation.

Date: Sunday, July 22nd
Time: 1:00 pm -5:00 pm
Where: Upper Lake Park, Port Washington,
East Concession area, see map

What: We will start the af ternoon off with a picnic to meet other recent returnees as well as returnees from previous years. We will then finish the af ternoon with a re-entry orientation to share exchange experiences and get returning advice from past returnees.

What to bring: At least one picture from your experience to share and discuss & one snack or dessert to share

Please RSVP by email by Sunday, July 15th to Melissa Centgraf (Returnee Co-ordinator)

Indicate if you would like burger, brat or veggie burger

---

June 16, 2007
AFS Info Night

AFS Milwaukee is having two info night meetings for families who are interested in being a host family and for students interested in being an exchange student.

#1 Whitefish Bay Public Library, Community Room
Thursday June 21, 7 - 8:30 PM
5420 N. Marlborough Dr., Whitefish Bay
contact: Susan Robison-Strane, tstrane@wi.rr.com

#2 Cudahy Family Library, Ladish Room
Thursday June 21 6 - 8 PM
3500 Library Dr., Cudahy
contact: Jeannie Schultz, jschultz54@wi.rr.com

---

April 20, 2007
Congrats Milwaukee Area Awards for Excellence Scholarship Winners

Shane won a full scholarship for a summer program to Argentina.

Mireille and Rebekah each won $1000 toward their AFS experience.

Maria and Margaret each won $4000 toward their AFS experience in the Cargill scholarship competition!

---

April 18, 2007
CB and YES students attended a Native American Pow Wow

The CB and YES students attended a Native American Pow Wow on March 4th. An elder of the Ojibwa tribe met with them to explain religion, customs, dress, language and dance. They were able to dance to the drums and enjoyed crafts and artwork. New foods that they tried included buffalo burgers and fry bread. See 2006-07 Photo Gallery
 

---

March 24, 2007
2006 Youth Ambassadors Summer Language Institute

Our 2006 Youth Ambassadors Summer Language Institute pilot program in Egypt proved very successful, thanks in large part to your enthusiastic support and nominations of more than 160 excellent candidates.

This year, we're offering 25 full-tuition scholarships to extraordinary young people to attend this intensive summer language and cultural immersion program that is also a homestay. The program runs from June 30 to August 13, and our Egyptian YES Program Returnees will be their guides, accompanied by AFS Egypt Staff and a U.S.-based program leader.

The deadline for nominations is April 2. Though it's coming up soon, we're sure you know wonderful kids who would love to go abroad on this exciting program.

For more information about the program, visit AFS-USA web site.

And we have even more good news: This year, each student sent on the Arabic Summer Language Program in Egypt will count towards an Area Team's commitment! Also, Area Teams will receive their regular summer sending co-payment for each departing student on this program.

If you have specific questions after reading the website, please contact Anna Sharp-Whitcomb in the AFS Admissions Center at 800.237.4636, x1506 or email arabicsli@afs.org.

---

March 10, 2007
Emanu-El 48th AFS Shabbat

--excerpt from Emanu-El Bulletin

AFS Shabbat is one of the special programs coordinated by the Women of Reform Judaism of our congregation. Created in our congregation in 1959, it represents a wonderful opportunity for interfaith outreach on a global scale.

Every year AFS Milwaukee sponsors foreign exchange high school students to live with Milwaukee area families for an entire school year. Of all of their experiences that they have during this acedemic year, one of the most memorable is being invited to join our congregration for Shabbat. For many of these foreign students, as well as for their American host families, it is often their first direct exposure to the Jewish Faith.

Held March 9, the students and their American families joined us for a Shabbat worship service, meal and an "Ask the Rabbi" session. A wonderful Oneg Shabbat followed.

---

March 10, 2007
World Affairs Seminar Announcement

AFS Intercultural Programs
World Affairs Seminar

Dates: June 16-22, 2007
Location: University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Scholarship Application Deadline: March 31, 2007
AFS Milwaukee Contact: Minna Smith

Each summer the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater sponsors the World Affairs Seminar. It is a program dedicated to high school students from the United States, Canada, Mexico and also other international students who are enrolled at schools in the U.S. and Canada. That includes AFS students! It is a “unique high energy program” which provides a “forum for future leaders to be introduced to some of the most perplexing global issues and problems.”

This year’s theme will be: “ Global Health - Prescription for Survival: Who’s Responsible?”

The General Manager is an AFS returnee, Frederick R. “Rick” Luedke, who sets as one of his priorities attendance at the seminar by as many AFS students as possible. In the next month we will invite applications by interested AFS students and select the students who will receive all-expense paid scholarships, valued at approximately $400 each.

Requirements include complete participation in the seminar, which runs this year from June 16-22, 2007 at UW-Whitewater. Students must provide their own transportation to/from Whitewater and they must be present all days of the workshop. No exceptions to the attendance policy!

Students will stay in a campus residence hall, and counselors will be on duty throughout the week. For further information you may check the website www.worldaffairsseminar.org.

Scholarship applications will be available from Milwaukee AFS Team members or by contacting Minna Smith at mokismith@aol.com. Completed scholarship applications will be due by March 31 and the scholarship winners will be announced by April 30.

Scholarship applications may be mailed to Minna Smith, please email her for mailing address.

Either now or after scholarship notification, students may go to the website and complete an official World Affairs Seminar application, indicating on it that they are an AFS student. No payment will be due at this time.

---

February 10, 2007
YES and CB Students Visit Wisconsin State Capital

On Friday February 9th the YES and CB students visited our state
Capitol in Madison. We met with Assemblyman Jim Ott, had a tour of
the beautiful Capitol building, met with a staff member in Senator Herb Kohl's office and met with Supreme Court Justice David Prosser. We learned how bills become laws, Wisconsin's place in our national history and how the Supreme Court reviews and rules on cases. That evening we cheered the University of Wisconsin hockey team to a win over the University of Alaska. See 2006-07 Photo Gallery

---

January 14, 2007
YES and CB Students Work with Habitat for Humanity

On Saturday January 13th the YES and CB students spent the day working on a house for Habitat for Humanity. We painted trim boards, framed closet and bedroom doors and hung closet doors. We met the homeowner and her two little girls who were very excited to see the international team working on their home. See 2006-07 Photo Gallery

---

December 28, 2006
AFS-USA Celebrating 60 Years

Milwaukee Area AFS is combining the annual Milwaukee weekend dance for this year's foreign students from the Milwaukee, Chicago, Madison, Waukesha and Sheboygan areas with a local 60th Anniversary celebration. AFS returnees are invited to join the event.

Date: Saturday, February 3, 2007
Time: 7 pm to 10:30 pm
Location: Zoofari Conference Center; 9715 W. Bluemound Rd. (Next to the Milwaukee County Zoo).
Other information: We are encouraging donations of canned food for admission. We will be recognizing returnees from past years. Anyone interested in helping....we need chaperones for the event.
Contact: AFS Returnee Coordinator, Melissa Centgraf, madunn489@hotmail.com

---

July 2006
AFS Students Work with Kids in Argentina

Exchange students with the kids from Las Heras

Translated and edited excerpts from Argentinean Newspaper Los Andes
By Virginia Di Bari - Photos: Pablo López
July 17 2006
Edition:42.181

Beto asks "lo lleven a caballito." Any person who lives on earth knows what means. But for Max (16), who arrived from the United States to work in the community, it is not so easy to understand. In a few minutes and with the aid of sign language, Beto was soon getting his piggy back ride.

Max is one of five foreign students who arrived in Mendoza to do community service at the children's center "Opened Arms" (Brazos Abiertos), located in Las Heras. At Brazos Abiertos, 300 children receive breakfast and lunch daily, with another 30 who live at the center. Nidia Grove, founder of the center, said the students have much work to do, but also much to learn.

Monday through Friday the exchange students help prepare and serve food, and play with the kids. "We receive items of many places, but it is necessary to have people help with the daily tasks," said Nidia Grove.

The exchange students help with these daily task, but they go away having learned things not taught in school. They become rich with having done community service while learning about other cultures. The idea is to fill your life with experiences worth living, explained Poebe (17) and Liz (17) of their two week experience in Argentina.

The exchange students stay with families, and although this is their first time in Argentina, this is not their first time helping others that need it most.

"I worked as volunteer at a center for undernourished children in Panama and also I helped to collect bicycles that were sent to Africa so children could bike to school," said Cristina. For her, choosing Argentina was not random. Her father was born here, and she wanted to know the place that he speaks so much of.

>> Find out more about AFS's Community Service programs.