Local Coordinator Melissa Jackson - AYA

Local Coordinator Melissa Jackson - AYA Bringing the world together through academic exchange with Academic Year in America (AYA).

Looking for families willing to open their home to welcome an exchange student for 6-8 weeks! Message me for more info! ...
02/19/2020

Looking for families willing to open their home to welcome an exchange student for 6-8 weeks! Message me for more info! Students arrive in August!

This is the time of year when we find all our host families for next fall! It seems so early, but after choosing the stu...
01/03/2020

This is the time of year when we find all our host families for next fall! It seems so early, but after choosing the student you wish to host you are able to develop a relationship with them before they arrive!
Our family has hosted two students who are like daughters to us - lifelong friendships over many miles!!
Message me for more info! Both Union Co and CMS schools are limited filling up as early as April! I’m also happy to connect you with other families in the area currently hosting so you can hear their experiences!

Students benefit greatly from hearing about different cultures from their peers!! Ben from Liberia shared at his high sc...
11/22/2019

Students benefit greatly from hearing about different cultures from their peers!! Ben from Liberia shared at his high school about his culture.

Love that I got to learn more about Kuwait as Ruby shared about her culture in my children’s elementary school!
11/22/2019

Love that I got to learn more about Kuwait as Ruby shared about her culture in my children’s elementary school!

10/12/2017

I have some incredible host families this year and would love to have you join our community! I promise there is never a dull moment!!

This week our exchange students are heading to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens to volunteer at the Chinese Lantern Festiv...
10/04/2017

This week our exchange students are heading to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens to volunteer at the Chinese Lantern Festival! Part of the fun of hosting an exchange student is being able to participate in new experiences with them!

School is a month away and we still have 51 students needing host families for 2017-2018! Ask your friends and family i...
07/11/2017

School is a month away and we still have 51 students needing host families for 2017-2018! Ask your friends and family if they would consider welcoming a student for 6-8 weeks to give them an opportunity to participate in this academic year!

We are looking for new host families for the 2017-2018 school year. As a host family you can choose the student you wis...
02/09/2017

We are looking for new host families for the 2017-2018 school year. As a host family you can choose the student you wish to host and also choose if you want to host as a:
-Welcome Family (4-8 weeks)
-Semester Family
-Full year (10 mo) Family

We would love to have you join our community!!

Halfway through my first year as a local coordinator and I can truly say that these students lives are changed having sp...
02/01/2017

Halfway through my first year as a local coordinator and I can truly say that these students lives are changed having spent a semester on the other side of the world! Thank you to my incredible host families for giving them that opportunity!

Early morning flight with these 2- headed to California for grant students mid year orientation!
01/13/2017

Early morning flight with these 2- headed to California for grant students mid year orientation!

It's always fun to have a bonus sister for a few nights!!!
12/19/2016

It's always fun to have a bonus sister for a few nights!!!

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Charlotte, NC

Telephone

(980) 229-6797

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Exchange Students Shatter Stereotypes, Pave Path Towards Peace in North Carolina

Hosting with Academic Year in America (AYA) helps break stereotypes – not just for Americans, but also among international exchange students. Living with host families in North Carolina, exchange students Mikayel from Armenia and Aslihan from Turkey (pictured above) were initially blinded by their home countries’ history of turmoil. However, they eventually saw past their differences and formed an unexpected friendship – paving a path towards a more peaceful future.

Mikayel and Aslihan first met at my home during our student orientation. I like to have my entire student cluster over to build community and get to know one another. I often tell my students to pretend I’m a stereotypical ignorant American (okay, maybe it’s not that much of a long shot) and not judge me as I ask questions. I would like to think I’ve gained a lot of knowledge over the last few years as a Local Coordinator, but truth be told, I had a lot of ground to make up. It wasn’t until I began this journey as a Local Coordinator that I realized how little I knew about history, culture and the world at large.

Mikayel was a Christian scholarship student from Armenia, and Aslihan, a Muslim scholarship student from Turkey. Many of you already know where this may be headed if you know your history – but sadly, in my ignorance, I did not have the sense to know these two were already pitted against one another due to a history of genocide, hatred and war.

As the evening went on, I heard a tense conversation coming from my kitchen, and as I entered, I realized these two students were discussing who would and would not be welcome in their countries, how someone crossing the border would or would not be accepted and their thoughts on the matter.