The AFS students are here! But what does AFS even mean?

“AFS stands for American Field Service,” AFS supervisor and German teacher Kevin Moore said. “It started as a group of paramedics helping soldiers out in a battlefield. In the mid to late 1950s, the first group of Americans came to France, and the French came to the USA.”

This school year, Northtown is privileged to have five foreign exchange students: Sena Itai from Japan, Katie Golovenkova from Russia, and Jessica Hoffman, Sahra Streitmater, and Felix Pegelhoff , all from Germany.

Each has their own take on the experience.

“I miss my family, friends, and Japanese food,” Itai said. “I am loud at home, but here I’m shy.”

“It’s interesting, I miss my family and friends, but I’m getting new friends,” Golovenkova said.

“I am learning to do things on my own. I have to overcome my problems. I have a lot new friends, and have met new people,” Pegelhoff said.

Although coming to a new country is hard, they are learning how to adapt. A big question on a lot of people’s minds is, “What do they like about Northtown?”

“I would come back because all the people are nice,” Pegelhoff said. He added that in America “there are some interesting things, like big cities.”

“I like that everyone smiles,” Golovenkova said.

“I like going to football games and school parties,” Itai said.

If you want to get to know our exchange students, go up and start a conversation with them.

If you want to see what AFS does or want to join, come by Moore’s room, FH 509. Check the announcements for their next Wednesday meeting.