Fall 2012
From the Director
Dear Friends,
Fall is here! It’s my favorite season and a good time to reflect on the heat of summer, it was a hot one!
We all worked hard to welcome 742 students to the AYA program this summer. This includes 57 YES
and 30 FLEX scholarship students sponsored by the U.S. Department of State who are off to a strong
start in clusters across the U.S. The AYA Team thanks each of you for everything you do, together we
are an awesome team!
We have reduced the size of the January semester program this year due
to the challenges we have faced with many schools reluctant to accept
students for the January semester. Please contact your schools now to see
if they will welcome a January student and then let your Regional Director
know so we can work together to get everyone placed early! We will be
placing 64 students for January from the countries on the right.
Country/Partner
#
Brazil/EXB
9
YES Grant/PAR
3
Germany/GIJ
31
Korea/HAN
1
I would also like extend a warm welcome to our new Local Coordinators
who have just completed their first placement cycle! We had 80 new Local
Coordinators place over 100 students this year, which is quite an achievement. We look forward to working together to promote AYA and support
our students and host families for many years.
China/DEM
20
I look forward to seeing many of you in Panama for our National Meeting in just a few weeks and hope
that everyone is already planning your placements for next year so we can all be together in 2013 for
our next National Meeting. Remember, January students count towards your 2013 National Meeting
qualification!
All the best,
In this
issue...
AYA Staff Directory............................ 1
Mid Year Orientation......................... 5
The Crunch Time 20!........................ 9
2012 Calendar.................................. 2
Spring Semester Students................. 6
National Meeting Qualifiers............ 10
New AYA Placement Manager.......... 3
LC Refresher Training........................ 6
Fun Facts About Panama!............... 11
LC of the Month............................... 3
Compliance Corner........................... 7
LC of the Quarter.............................. 3
Note About Rematch........................ 9
2012 Arrival Orientations.................. 4
Kudos to All LCs!.............................. 9
AYA Staff Directory
Melanie French | Executive Director
Lisa Fealy | Regional Director
Directs AIFS Foundation and AYA program.
Placement and supervision for the following states: AL, AZ, FL,
MA, MN, MO, NE, NH, PA, VT, WY.
P: (203) 399-5100 | F: (203) 399-5300 | E: [email protected]
P: (203) 399-5069 | F: (203) 399-5269 | [email protected]
Michele Kabel | Deputy Director
Manages and oversees all student support, responsible for all
high level cases; manages the Compliance Team and the Field
Staff Administrator Team, leads AYA team with Director.
P: (203) 399-5096 | E: [email protected]
Nikki Hernandez | Regional Director
Placement and supervision for the following states: AR, CA, DE,
HI, MS, ND, OH, RI, SD, TX, UT.
P:(203) 399-5071 | F: (203) 399-5271 | E: [email protected]
Elizabeth Azeizat | Student Support Administrator
Works with the Deputy Director to ensure all students are supported by AYA and their LC, and assists with student support
issues.
Pieter Hogoboom | Regional Director
P: (203) 399-5097 | E: [email protected]
P: (203) 399-5079 | F: (203) 399-5279 | E [email protected]
Kate Caren | Grants Regional Director
Placement and supervision for the YES and FLEX grant students.
P: (203) 399-5081 | F: (203) 399-5281 | E: [email protected]
Placement and supervision for the following states: AK, CO, CT,
GA, ID, IL, IN, ME, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NM, NY, TN.
Margot Manasevit | Compliance Coordinator
Responsible for ensuring that all placements meet federal compliance regulations; tracks, collects, and processes paperwork;
coordinates annual audit.
P: (203) 399-5524 | F: (203) 724-1536 | E: [email protected]
Ashleigh Caws | Compliance Coordinator
Responsible for ensuring that all placements meet federal compliance regulations; tracks, collects, and processes paperwork;
coordinates annual audit.
P: (203) 399-5063 | F: (203) 724-1536 | E: [email protected]
Lisa DeBeradinis | Grants and Orientation Manager
Oversees the administration of the YES and FLEX grant programs,
manages all AYA orientation programs
P: (203) 399-5070 | F: (203) 399-5262 | E: [email protected]
Laura Moorhouse | Senior Field Staff Administrator
New LC recruitment; manages field staff benefits, coordinates
second visits, works with the following states: AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT,
FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY,
PA, TN, VT, WY; responsible for Connections and SuperMemo.
P: (203) 399-5085 | F: (203) 399-5285 | E: [email protected]
Andrew Newberry | Placement Manager
Responsible for overseeing the placement of all AYA students,
oversees the Regional Director team and coordinates efforts
closely with Marketing Department.
Ana Disla | Compliance Coordinator
P: (203) 399-5082 | F: (203) 399-5282 | E: [email protected]
Administrative support to Executive Director, and processes
SEVIS, background checks, compliance, double placement, and
school paperwork.
Christophe Petibon | International Enrollment
P: (203) 399-5414 | F: (203) 399-5214 | E: [email protected]
Sarah Evans | Field Staff Administrator
New LC recruitment; manages field staff benefits, coordinates
second visits, works with the following states: AK, AR, CA, DE, HI,
IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TX, UT, VA,
WA, WV, WI; responsible for host family tax mailing and student
certificates.
P: (203) 399-5080 | F: (203) 399-5281 | E: [email protected]
Coordinator and IT Power User
Processes student applications and coordinates student flights;
assists with IT applications.
P: (203) 399-5064 | F: (203) 399-5264 | E: [email protected]
Annie Smith | Applications Coordinator
Processes student applications, and assists with student flights.
P: (203) 399-5066 | F: (203) 399-5266 | E: [email protected]
Michael Falvey | Regional Director
Placement and supervision for the following states: IA, KS, KY, LA,
MD, NC, OK, OR, SC, VA, WA, WV, WI.
P: (203) 399-5086 | F: (203) 399-5286 | E: [email protected]
Patti Stack | Operations and Enrollment Manager
Billing and program accounts, organizes National Meeting, visa
issues, flights, partner relations, inbound student applications.
P: (203) 399-5084 | F: (203) 399-5284 | E: [email protected]
1
Super Memo: Fall 2012
2012 Calendar
Supervision and counseling of students is ongoing monthly. Second visits are continuing as needed.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
dECEMBER
• January student profiles updated daily on
the Web
• AYA National Meeting – Nov. 1-5 in
Panama
• Final January students are placed
• LCs continue placing January students
• January student profiles updated daily on
the Web
• Staff confirms student flight information
with LCs and Host Families
• LCs continue placing January students and
begin to place August students
• Monthly Student Supervision Reports due
by 12/31
• Monthly Student Supervision Report is due
by 10/31
• Second visits for permanent placements
due
• LCs continue conducting HF orientations
• LCs begin conducting January Host Family
Orientations
• Monthly Student Supervision Report is due
by 11/30
The AYA 2013 calendar is coming next edition! If you would like a copy of the full calendar year, please
contact your RD for assistance.
AYA Student Travel
Opportunities
# of Days
Cities visted
Hawaii Expedition
8 days/7 nights
Oahu Island
Feb 9 – 16
Mar 16 – 23
Apr 6 – 13
New York City and
Washington D.C.
8 days/7 nights
New York, NY
Washington, D.C
Mar 30 – Apr 6
Apr 20 – 27
New York City
5 days/4 nights
New York, NY
Mar 30 – Apr 6
Apr 20 – 27
California
Adventure
8 days/7 nights
San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Mar 9 - 16
West Coast
14 days/13 nights
Phoenix, AZ
Grand Canyon Nat’l
Park, AZ
Las Vegas, NV
Los Angeles, CA
Yosemite Nat’l Park, CA
San Francisco, CA
Jun 9 – 2
East Coast
14 days/13 nights
Niagara Falls, NY
New York City, NY
Philadelphia, MA
Washington, D.C.
Myrtle Beach, SC
Orlando, FL
Jun 6-19
By Michele Kabel
AYA is pleased to announce that we are working
with Belo Tours to offer safe and exciting tourist
opportunities for eligible AYA students. Please note
that trips may only be scheduled in accordance
with AYA travel policy and should be approved by
the host family, Local Coordinator, natural parents
and the AYA National office prior to booking!
Visit www.belousa.com for more information!
Dates for
2012-2013
Trip
Super Memo: Fall 2012
2
AYA Welcomes Our New Placement Manager:
Andy Newberry!
I joined AIFS in May of 2008 and worked in the Camp
America department before moving to AYA as the Placement Manager this past July. Originally from Defiance,
OH, I attended Ohio State University and majored in
marketing and political science. Cultural exchange has
always been near and dear to me. My wife and I met
while she was an exchange visitor from Scotland. We are
now awaiting our first child’s arrival any day now! I am
looking forward to continue to work with all those in the
AYA community!
LC of the Month: Daniel Garza
By Nikki Hernandez
This month, I would like to honor one of my Local
Coordinators as the LC of the Month for standing out in
particular among a group of great people. Daniel Garza
from Texas came on board as a new Local Coordinator
in the spring of 2012. Not only has he proven to be a
wonderful person with a kind heart, but also a great asset
to our program. Daniel shares the passion of our program
and its mission. With no previous LC experience and only
one year of hosting under his belt, Daniel has worked extensively to find homes for numerous core and scholarship
AYA students. He has been proactive when facilitating the
matching process, he is not one to wait for someone to
inquire about hosting, approaching individuals about our
program with no hesitation. Not only has Daniel helped
AYA tremendously during the placement season, but also
has provided the support necessary for our students to
have a successful and enjoyable year. Faced with a few
challenging cases thus far, he has proven to have the
patience of a saint and best interest for his students. Congratulations, Daniel, for all you have brought to the table
and for a great job!
LC of the Quarter: Julie Fowler
By Pieter Hogoboom
Julie Fowler joined Academic Year in America as a Local Coordinator in June of 2011 when she switched from another foreign exchange organization. Julie has so much passion for this program and for the exchange students
in general. She placed over 15 students this year and converted every assignment that she took. Even though
at times she ran into difficulties with certain public high schools, it did not stop her from finding ways to place all
of her students. She is one of the most responsive coordinators we have and always turns in her paperwork in a
timely fashion to help us complete placements quickly. Additionally, she has a wonderful relationship with all of
her students and host families alike and has earned herself the opportunity to travel to Panama and France this
year as a result of all her hard work! She is a wonderful addition to the AYA family and I truly enjoy working with
her on a daily basis.
Julie recently told me this story about getting the word out in her area:
“I had an LC from another company one day at the airport ask me how many kids I place. When I told her 17 this
year, but I usually average 20-25, she was astonished! She came back to me a few minutes later and asked if I
could tell her how I do it! After a minute of reflecting, my answer was this....’Know everything you can about the
program. Study the DOS rules and regulations. Then, BELIEVE in the program!!! Your enthusiasm should make
them want to host a student!’”
3
Super Memo: Fall 2012
2012 Arrival Orientations
By Lisa DeBeradinis
The 2012 arrival orientations were a great success
thanks to the dedicated team of Local Coordinators, American teens and Overseas Partners!
We had a total of 12 Local Coordinators and 7
American teens that were selected to work at this
year’s August orientation sessions. Patti Stack and
I had the pleasure of meeting over 300 exchange
students from all over the world including
Germany, China, Thailand, Italy, Poland, Vietnam
and Korea. Each group of students who arrived
impressed us with their level of maturity, ability
to follow directions and the respect they showed
for our team leaders, speakers and each other. We
enjoyed listening to the students’ expectations of
what this year will be like, their greatest fears, and
what they are most looking forward to about the
program. Gail Tomanelli did a wonderful job leading the workshop on adjustment in America and
what to expect on the program. The workshop
covered how to solve problems effectively, signs
and symptoms of culture shock, student and
host family responsibilities, and student safety.
Students applied what they learned in the next
workshop where they discussed various scenarios
and common problems they may encounter
during the year. They thoroughly enjoyed the
question and answer session with the American
teen volunteers, where they had the opportunity
to anonymously ask any question they wanted.
Students enjoyed two full days in New York City,
always a memorable experience taking in the
sights and exploring one of the greatest cities in
the world. Students toured the United Nations,
took a ride on a Harbor Yacht Cruise, visited
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, dined at the
Hard Rock Café and Ellen’s Stardust Diner, and
shopped in Times Square. Not only did students
gain important tools to have a successful experience, they became prepared for the adventure of
a lifetime. We greatly appreciate the efforts and
time our volunteers put in to making this year’s
arrival orientations a success!
Super Memo: Fall 2012
4
“I enjoyed meeting other exchange students from all over
the world! It was very exciting
to listen about their American
experiences! And, of course, I
enjoyed Disney World!”
- AYA 2011-12 student
Mid Year Orientation
By Lisa DeBeradinis
AYA is proud to offer our 2012-13 Mid Year Orientation in Disney World,
Florida, January 17 – 21! The AYA Mid Year Orientation provides students
with invaluable cultural education and student support while giving them
the opportunity to explore one of America’s most exciting attractions. Students will participate in workshops that discuss what they have learned
during the first semester and what they are looking forward to during
their final few months on the program. They will also participate in Disney
Youth Program Series workshops where they will learn about American
history and about becoming future leaders of the world. Past participants
of the Mid Year Orientation found the experience to be rewarding and a
highlight of their year. They enjoyed the amazing experience of sharing
their stories with other students and AYA staff in the most magical place
on earth!
Orientation Information
Registration:
Eligibility:
The registration deadline has passed. If your student has registered
please make sure they send their flight information to Lisa DeBeradinis
at [email protected]. Core students (all students except FLEX and
YES) are responsible for paying for and booking their own flights to/from
MCO.
All students attending must be in good standing with AYA. Students who
receive a warning or probation will not be eligible and will forfeit the
non-refundable deposit.
Your registered student’s package includes:
Flight Information:
•
Hotel accommodations for 4 nights
•
Roundtrip airport transfer in Orlando
•
All admissions to 4 Disney parks
Flights should be booked to arrive in Orlando, FL on Thursday, January
17 between 10am - 4pm. All flights departing must leave the morning of
Monday, January 21 between 8am and noon. Students must send flight
details to Lisa via email at [email protected]
•
All meals and drinks during the trip
•
All workshops, materials and activities
Not Included:
Roundtrip flight from host family to Orlando Airport (MCO)
Any spending money for souvenirs, snacks etc.
5
Super Memo: Fall 2012
Spring Semester Students!
By Andy Newberry
Thanks again to all the Local Coordinators that helped AYA successfully complete our August placement season! We have already begun placing students for the spring semester, and encourage you to
begin as soon as you can! This year we are expecting 64 spring semester students. Remember, each
of these students that you place will earn you credit towards the 2013 National Meeting - destination
to be announced shortly (early November 2012)!
To make it a little easier, we have compiled a couple of key marketing ideas to help find new families
this coming semester. Take a look at the following suggestions and see if there is something new you
can add to your current “bag of tricks:”
Here’s a breakdown of student countries
and numbers for this coming semester:
Country/Partner
#
Brazil/EXB
9
YES Grant/PAR
3
Germany/GIJ
31
Korea/HAN
1
China/DEM
20
Proven Marketing Techniques for LCs:
Church
Show off your students
• Have the clergyman make an announcement at all your local churches
• Have a Host Family/Student speak to the congregation
• Ask to place a write-up in the church bulletin
• Have your current students make a float for a parade
• Have current students volunteer for a project where they meet other
families
Paid & Free Media
A big thanks to: Sandra Burgers, Julie Fowler, Louise Hackman,
Sheri Schuster, and the entire Regional Director team for compiling this list of helpful hints!
•
•
•
•
Have a student send a letter to the editor
Write an article for the school newspaper
Advertise on Patch.com & Craigslist.org
Advertise in any school publication (i.e., playbill at school play)
Chamber of Commerce
• Connect with all Chambers of Commerce in your area
• Ask to speak at an event/pass out flyers
Special thanks to Cindy Anderson, Ryan Dunfee, Mandy Mandachit, Hugh McMullen, Jeanne Monte, Chandra Jones, Glenda
O’Regan, Shirl Jackson, and many other LCs for providing other
tips (and our humble apology to anyone not named here): stay
tuned for more ideas in future editions!
Local Functions
• Set up a booth at a local county fair
• Set up a booth at a school sporting function
• Look for unique gatherings in your area to set up a booth!
LC Refresher Training
By Laura Moorhouse
To our veteran LCs who have partnered with AYA more than one year:
Welcome back for another great year! We appreciate your full participation in AYA’s 2012 LC Refresher Training this fall. Since the DOS requires
AYA to train our LCs annually, we decided to move away from live conference calls to help you work your training around your own schedule, one
of the great benefits of the LC position overall!
New this year, we are offering our trainings through the LC Portal as a set
of narrated videos in with bullets and notes, concluding with a mandatory quiz for each competency area. The Refresher Training for 2012 is the
five Student Support videos which cover student supervision from soup
to nuts: everything from common support challenges like homesickness
and teenage issues to monthly contact and reporting requirements, child
abuse awareness and prevention, and emergency procedures. I would
like to personally thank you for your compliance with our September 30
deadline! We experienced an extremely high compliance rate and truly
appreciate your participation.
AYA will be offering optional, live follow-up calls to answer any questions
and discussion topics from the videos. Please stay tuned to your email for
availability of dates and times. I look forward to a terrific year partnering
together.
AYA is proud to be an industry leader in terms of DOS compliance and training, and I’d like to take this opportunity to
also thank you for participating in our initiative to visit every
Local Coordinator in his/her home. Your home visits have
helped us provide an extra layer of student support and
protection, and we truly appreciate your help!
Super Memo: Fall 2012
6
Compliance Corner
By Margot Manasevit and Ashleigh Caws
We’d like to begin by expressing a heartfelt thank you to all of you amazing Local Coordinators who
worked tirelessly this summer to help AYA complete another successful placement season. Thanks to
your efforts, each AYA student is now in a safe and loving home in the United States where they can
begin a life changing journey!
Now that the students are here, they are relying on you to provide the support that they need to
have a successful year. In this issue, the Compliance Team would like to focus on the Department
of State regulations that keep our students safe and sound throughout their stay. Your attention to
these regulations will ensure an exceptional program for our students. Thank you for complying!
Are You a Super-vising LC?
Supervision has begun! We are thrilled that all students have arrived safely into the USA to begin
their abroad experience! Now it is up to you to ensure they are safe, adjusting well to American
culture, and following our program rules.
Your timely completion of supervision and second visit reports is crucial to the success of our program. We depend on you to provide us with feedback about our students and report any concerns
or safety issues. This process creates an open line of communication between LCs and AYA staff
which in turn helps us provide support to you and your students. This information also enables us to
promptly and accurately update our overseas partners and the students’ natural families. Thank you
for being our eyes and ears out in the field!
Supervision Reports & 2nd Visit reports are live online – you can find them in your LC portal.
Supervision Reports
• Supervision reports are due once a month by the last day of the month (reports must be submitted on time for payment!)
• Please note that September and August reports are combined, requiring you to list contacts for
both months in your September report
• You must meet with all students in person within a month of their arrival; following the first
month, in-person visits may occur every other month, minimum.
• Students in a single person placement must be seen in person each month
No concern is too small or insignificant to document! All serious concerns should have already
been reported to your Regional Director prior to submitting the report.
2nd Visits must
• Take place within 60 days of the student’s arrival for all permanent placements!
• Take place within 30 days of the student’s arrival if the student is in a welcome family!
Welcome families
• Welcome placements require a second visit within 30 days of the student’s arrival, and then
again every 30 days until the family becomes permanent or the student moves to a new
home.
• When you submit a 2nd visit report for a welcome placement, a new “Follow up Report”
will be generated for you to confirm. This report will be due one month from the date you
submitted the first report. Please complete the visit as close to the due date as possible, and
then submit for payment. Since one visit per month is required, AYA will be unable to provide
payment for visits conducted more frequently than that.
7
Super Memo: Fall 2012
Ch-Ch-Ch Changes!
Host Family Changes
There may be a time when AYA staff determines that a Host Family Change is necessary. This will only occur after all of the appropriate measures have
been taken to evaluate and/or mitigate the situation. Below is a checklist of paperwork that needs to be complete before a host family change.
Host Family Change Checklist:
Background Check Release Form is submitted and CLEARED
Complete Host Family Application
2012 Host Family Photos (kitchen, living room, student bedroom, bathroom, home exterior & family photo)
2012 in-home Interview with ALL family members present
Reference Check
High School Enrollment form signed BEFORE student is moved
Single and/or Double Placement paperwork complete (if applicable)
Students should never be moved without permission from AYA
Compliance. This is to ensure that all families are fully vetted and
placements are in compliance with DOS regulations.
There may be a time where your student needs to stay in a household
other than the host family’s home for a short period of time. These situations may range from host family vacations, to emergency situations
that require the student’s immediate removal from the home. In these
cases, please contact AYA Compliance immediately to determine what
measures need to be taken to vet the temporary home and ensure these
short-term placements are in compliance.
Don’t Be Dis-Oriented
Whether they are rookies or veterans, your host families need to be ORIENTED! The host family orientation is one of the most important DOS Regulations
because it ensures that the host family is fully prepared for the year ahead. This meeting is essential because it allows for all parties to communicate both
their concerns as well as their expectations. Success begins when everyone is on the same page! Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions about host family orientations.
“This family hosted last year, do they need a new orientation this
year?”
Yes! Regulations change every year, and host families need this updated
information! This time will also give them the chance to voice any questions or concerns they have about this particular year. Each year is a new
and exciting adventure for which all family members must be adequately
prepared.
“I’m an LC and I’m hosting – do I need an orientation?”
Yes! This is required every year if you are hosting a student: please be sure
to conduct an orientation to prepare your own family for the experience.
You may know all of the rules and regulations, but we need to know that
each member of your family is as prepared as you are! Feel free to bring
your family to a group host family orientation and sign the form yourself
to confirm that your family was present.
“When do I conduct a host family orientation?”
Orientations should be done after the host family is fully vetted by AYA,
and before the student arrives. If your student is already here and your
family has not been oriented – make completing this a priority!
“Where do I find the form?”
All forms can be found on your LC portal under: Resources > Forms and
Marketing Materials > Placement > Host Family Orientation Signatures
“What if I am not available to conduct an in-person orientation
with my host family?”
If you are not available to conduct your orientation in person, please direct
your host family to their host family portal where they can view our online
orientation video. While this will provide them with the basic information, it
cannot replace the personal touch of an in-person orientation with you! We
encourage you to make every effort to orient your families in person.
**Please check your email for messages from AYA Compliance requesting missing host family orientation forms. If you get this email, it means we do not have
a form on file from you confirming that one or more of your families received an orientation. Please respond quickly and let us know of your plans to complete
your orientation and submit the signed form to us. Thank you for your attention!**
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND
The annual Department of State program audit will be taking place at the end of November. Ana, Ashleigh and Margot may be reaching out to
you for any missing documents, questions or concerns. We thank you in advance for your assistance as we prepare for this important review!
We want you to know how much we appreciate your tireless efforts to make the AYA vision a reality. Bringing the world together is a hard
job… but someone’s gotta do it!
Super Memo: Fall 2012
8
Welcome party group photo from AYA’s Kansas City, MO and Lenexa/Overland
Park, KS cluster! Thanks to LCs Jane Bigler, Laurie Jacobsen and Sandra Burgers
Note About Rematch
By Michele Kabel
Kudos to All LCs!
AYA appreciates our Local Coordinators’ ongoing and collective efforts to find caring host families for Rematch students currently in–country. Replacing a Rematch
student from another community will earn you a full placement fee and the gratitude and appreciation of your new and excited student along with your devoted
Regional Director, but will not count towards next year’s National Meeting. While it
is contractually the Local Coordinator’s responsibility to replace a student within his
or her own community, there are times when students must be relocated to a new
area, and we genuinely appreciate all the hard work that many of our LCs have put
in this year to securing new host families for current students! Every day, you make a
difference!
By Andy Newberry
We would like to take the time to thank all Local Coordinators for their fantastic effort during this last placement season. We know how dedicated each
and every one of you is towards the cause of cultural exchange. It is your hard work and commitment that allows the national office to thrive all year
long.
The Crunch Time 20!
By Andy Newberry
We want to extend a special thanks and KUDOS to 20 LCs that really pushed it until the very end this year. Everyone here at the national office would
like to thank this group of Local Coordinators for putting up with our late night calls at the end of August! Thanks to you, we were able to find incredible homes for our final 2012 students. Thanks for all of your efforts, they never go unnoticed!
Sergio Aguayo
Melanie Criqui
Courtney Fraley
NovaLee Knopp
LeeAnn Rolf
Cindy Anderson
Diane Dabney
Katina Gatlin
Apryl McCurdy
Sherry Satta
Dina Berg
Billie Edgar
Shirley Jackson
Teresa Melton
Jane Bigler
Mary Edwards
Laurie Jacobsen
Glenda O’Regan
Lora Conklin
Julie Fowler
Chandra Jones
9
Super Memo: Fall 2012
2012 National Meeting Qualifiers
In a short while, many of AYA’s Local Coordinators, their guests, AYA staff, and several Overseas Partners will meet in Panama City, Panama for AYA’s annual National Meeting! The event will be an exciting celebration of a successful placement season, the start of another
wonderful year, and a chance to meet and network together in an incredible tropical setting.
We thank you for your hard work this summer and all year, and join in your excitement for the 2012 AYA National Meeting!
Revonda Sawyer
Alabama
Margarette Stoiljkovic
Illinois
Courtney Fraley
Noth Carolina
Rise Schneider
Ohio
Maria Teresa Melton
Texas
Nancy Looper
Arkansas
Linda Fetcher
Indiana
Ginger Jeffcoat
Noth Carolina
Brenda Danielowicz
Oregon
Jeannette Singleton
Texas
Katina Gatlin
California
Anita Senesac
Indiana
Catherine Scott
North Dakota
LeeAnn Rolf
Oregon
Marilu Trelles
Texas
Tina Simoes
California
Jane Bigler
Kansas
Mandy Mandachit
Nebraska
Shawn Zweibohmer
Oregon
Louise Hackman
Virginia
Cathy Tierney
California
Kelly Brown
Kansas
Susan Schriever
Nebraska
Cindi Hughes
Pennsylvania
Tony Barnett
Washington
Stephanie Sasz
Colorado
Sandra Burgers
Kansas
Shirley Jackson
New Jersey
Hugh Mc Mullen
Pennsylvania
NovaLee Knopp
Washington
Debi Hardee
Florida
Ray Rodriguez
Kansas
Annette Geers
New York
Glenda O’Regan
Pennsylvania
Barbara Pearson
Washington
Stacy Pelham
Florida
Thor Bahrman III
Kentucky
Victoria McDonough
New York
Dorothy Brown
Texas
Steven Eichman
Wisconsin
Elizabeth Vaughn
Iowa
Patricia Evans
Michigan
Theresa Rogers
New York
Melinda Bunch
Texas
Harriet Statz
Wisconsin
Judith Miller
Idaho
Chandra Jones
Michigan
Sarah Scott
New York
Diane Dabney
Texas
Mark Schaffer
Idaho
Joanne Carlisle
Missouri
Wayne Anderson
Ohio
Gerri Manlove
Texas
Sheri Schuster
Idaho
Laurie Jacobsen
Missouri
Cindy Anderson
Ohio
Cindy Martinez
Texas
Julie Fowler
Illinois
Rhonda Johnson
Missouri
Ryan Dunfee
Ohio
Mary McCorkle
Texas
Super Memo: Fall 2012
10
Fun Facts About Panama!
•
•
Panama houses over 10,000 different plants
species, including 1,200 varieties of orchids, 678
ferns, and more than 1,500 varieties of trees.
Panama has more than 500 rivers, although
boats are unable to travel most of them.
Panama is the southernmost country of Central
America. To the southeast is Colombia, and to
the northwest is Costa Rica.
•
The United States began work on the Panama
Canal on May 4, 1904, and completed it in 1914.
The first ship went through the locks on August
14, 1914.
•
The first European to visit Panama was Rodrigo
de Bastidas, but Balboa is more famous in Panamanian history, as he was the first European
explorer to cross the isthmus and sight the
Pacific Ocean.
•
The Panama Railroad was the most expensive
railroad ever built at a cost of 8 million dollars.
It took 5 years to build.
•
Panama has the second largest duty free zone
in the world. It is also the second largest registrant for offshore companies (after Hong Kong).
•
Panama elected its first female President Mireya
Moscoso in 1999.
•
Baseball is the most common sport in the
country. Boxing and soccer are also very
popular.
•
The CBS television show Survivor filmed three
seasons in Panama.
Sources: lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/facts-about-panama-2134.html and www.helium.com/
items/1582784-what-are-some-interesting-facts-about-panama
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is a publication of the AIFS Foundation Academic Year in America program