AFS is an international, not-for-profit organization that each year provides hundreds of American high school students the opportunity to live and study in a foreign land. Just as important, each year hundreds of American families host a high school age “son” or “daughter” from another country. With tens of thousands of volunteers worldwide, AFS is the leading international student exchange program in the world! The Milwaukee Area website focuses on the AFS related activities in the Milwaukee Area, extending from Port Washington to Racine. More than thirty area high schools currently participate.

Recent News

AFS DAY of SERVICE

We are looking forward to you joining us for AFS Milwaukee’s 2nd Annual Day of Service on Saturday, April 21st from 10am – noon. We will be participating in a “WEED OUT” at the Urban Ecology Center’s Riverside Park location at 1500 E. Park Place in Milwaukee.  More information on the UEC can be found at: http://www.urbanecologycenter.org/index.html.

AFS Milwaukee on the Radio

Local AFS daughters had an invitation to appear on a Radio program called Valor Latino which airs on WISN AM (1130 on the dial) on Sunday mornings with  show host Perfecto Rivera.   It will air on Sunday, March 18 at 9:30 a.m. Hope you can listen!

We’re going to see the Brewers play

Awesome! Area team members and families, watch your email for details.

Cluster and Winter Fun Photos

Check out our photo gallery to see what events and activities happen in Milwaukee.

Cedarburg AFS International Dessert Night

International Dessert Night with AFS presentations Consider sharing a favorite international dessert with AFS Club and Cedarburg AFS friends in an evening that will feature presentations by at least 3 AFS students (Spain, Mexico, Denmark) including other surprises … All are welcome to come for an informative and satiating evening.

Saturday, March 10, 7:00 – 9:30 PM

Cedarburg HS Cafeteria (W68 N611 Evergreen Blvd., Cedarburg)(use south parking lot and entry to the high school)

Milwaukee Area AFSer blogs about Travels

Melissa blogs about traveling with kids, but in her February blog mentioned her start in travel fueled by her time abroad with AFS. Read her blog…

Volunteer Shout Out

Beth Groble is one passionate hosting coordinator on the Milwaukee Area Team! Beth put forth an extraordinary effort in outreach this past summer. She enthusiastically attended numerous cultural events, farmer’s markets and school events to spread the word about hosting with AFS to potential families in addition to managing the Whitefish Bay AFS Chapter. Her enthusiasm to find families did not waiver throughout this past challenging hosting cycle. Hat’s off to Beth and thank you for all the work you do to help find host families!

Congratulations to Minna Smith!

AFS-USA Galatti Award Nominee Named-2011
Letter from Robin Frank – Selection Committee Chair

On behalf of the Volunteer Recognition, I am pleased to announce that Minna Smith of the Milwaukee Team will be our AFS-USA Galatti Nominee. Please join me in congratulating Minna.

Minna has served in many volunteer roles since returning from her AFS experience to Germany in 1965. Minna’s most recent contributions have involved scholarship programs to help students realize their AFS dreams. In 2007-08 Minna led a team of volunteers to recruit minority public school students from families who did not have the economic means to pay for AFS, and to organize the Milwaukee Scholarship Initiative to provide 90% funding for these students. As a result, 12 students of diversity were able to have a summer AFS experience. The funding was organized through the AFS Foundation of Greater Milwaukee, an organization that was founded by Minna and other AFS Returnees in 1994 to help Milwaukee area students bridge the gap between the cost of an AFS program and what the family can afford. To date, over 120 Milwaukee area students have benefited from over $120,000 in AFS Foundation scholarships, and Minna has been and is still instrumental in fund-raising efforts.

Her nominator writes, “I am nominating Minna for the Galatti Award because of her dedication to mentor other volunteers to continue the work of AFS, in addition to the lifelong contributions she herself has made. At each step of the way, Minna has found, inspired and trained others to take on the work of AFS and keep it going.”

Minna’s nomination will be moved forward for consideration by the AFS International Board of Trustees. The winner(s) of the Stephen Galatti International Award for Oustanding Volunteer Service will be announced in October.

To learn more about this award, please go to Galatti Award.

Year in Photos

What a great year we had in 2010-2011. Check out all the amazing activities our Host families and students participated in. Here’s just a few:

The Importance of being a Liaison

from AFS USA

In just a few short weeks, a new group of hosted students will be arriving into the US. As we focus our attention on finalizing the recruitment of host families, it is just as important to identify and train liaisons for the incoming students.

The Milwaukee Team’s Support Coordinator and former Liaison Coordinator, Deb Maly, had the following to say about liaisons: “I feel the liaison role is the single most important role in AFS. Liaisons are in a position to solidify and save family placements through their caring attention to concerns big and small. It is very important that we recruit and maintain dedicated volunteers for this role. A volunteer who is willing to give their time, support, and talents to build and maintain relationships, as well as, maintain compliance for our team. In my opinion, liaisons rock!”

Find out more information about liaisons for the 2011-12 program year.

AFS Milwaukee Hosting Story

“Hosting Martin was a life changing event for our family. Even though we had hosted several times before with AFS, we had never hosted a (Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program) student.”

Find out more about the Fuchs Family hosting story at AFS USA.

Be Proud, You are the best in the Nation!

At the National Hosting Conference this past weekend the Milwaukee Area Team received a fabulous award because of all the work that YOU did this last hosting season.  Milwaukee was the only team in the nation to receive the score of 98% in the State Department audit for compliance.  Milwaukee was also recognized for the ‘never quit ‘ spirit of its hosting volunteers, even when their homes were literally under water!

The Milwaukee AFS Team was recognized as Epitomizing the Mission of AFS for 2010.

Congratulations to all of you – many other area team coordinators took time to congratulate us and inquire about our ‘best practices.’

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