STAMFORD, Conn., March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As divisions deepen around the world, Director of Academic Year in America (AYA), Michele Kabel, highlights high school exchange as part of the solution:
“In a divided world, AYA and programs like ours continue to prove what so many families have experienced firsthand: that our greatest commonality is not where we come from, but how readily we welcome each other in.”
This year marks the 45th anniversary of AYA, which has connected thousands of international students with American host families since 1981. As one of the nation’s longest running and most respected high school exchange programs, this milestone highlights the organization’s long-standing commitment to creating meaningful cross-cultural connections that strengthen communities and inspire global awareness.
In the 45 years since its founding, AYA has placed over 35,000 exchange students from more than 60 countries in the welcoming homes and communities of volunteer American host families. These cross-cultural experiences have improved students’ English skills, confidence, and appreciation for American culture—enriching U.S. households with meaningful moments of cultural exchange while giving back to schools and communities through service projects and cultural presentations. Every exchange brings the world closer to home for host families and students alike, helping to bridge the gap of a divided world..
As a non-profit high school exchange program, AYA has earned a decades-long reputation as a leader in cultural exchange. The program is sponsored by the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation, a public charity established in 1967 to support international understanding through cultural exchange, principles at the core of AYA’s work. Through the AIFS Foundation, AYA is able to expand its support to U.S. high schools and communities through grants and scholarships like the Global Youth Trailblazer and Tony Cook Memorial Grant, which funds projects promoting intercultural engagement, global awareness, and inclusive learning environments, as well as the Home and Away Scholarship, which helps the children of AYA host families study abroad.
As AYA celebrates its 45th anniversary, the organization remains committed to the mission that has guided it since 1981: fostering global understanding and international connection through high school exchange. For Director Michele Kabel, four and a half decades of stories from students and families point to the same conclusion:
“For 45 years, Academic Year in America (AYA) has been a testament to the extraordinary goodwill found in ordinary people. High school exchange is a remarkable act of courage and trust on both sides, a reflection of the human desire for connection that transcends borders and the comfort of the familiar.”
At a time when empathy, openness, and human connection matter more than ever, AYA invites families, schools, and communities across the country to be a part of that mission by hosting an exchange student and building meaningful global connections close to home.
For more information, please contact Ana Wright or visit our website.
About Academic Year in America (AYA)
AYA is a non-profit organization sponsored by the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation that facilitates high school exchange programs in the U.S. It is designated by the U.S. Department of State to offer J-1 cultural exchange visas to international high school students. For 45 years, AYA has helped thousands of international students and U.S. host families participate in high school exchange, allowing them to share their cultures and build lifelong friendships. To learn more about becoming a host family or local coordinator, visit our website at www.academicyear.org.
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SOURCE Academic Year in America (AYA)
