AFS – International Education Week (IEW) Contest Booklet

AFS – International Education Week (IEW) Contest Booklet
AFS – International Education Week (IEW) Contest Booklet
TABLE OF CONTENTS
#
Content
1 Overview of IEW & AFS IEW Contest
 State Department Program Overview
 AFS Overview
2 AFS IEW Contest (Presentations Category)
 Highest Total Number of Presentations Award
 Highest Total Number for Presentations Award
 Excellent Overall Delivery of Presentations Award
 Guidelines for Presentations
 Format of a Presentation
 Fun Things for Show & Tell
 Other Ideas
 Suggestions for Presenting to Different Groups
3 AFS IEW Contest (Video Category)
 Tips in Producing a Good Video
 Video Criteria
 Submission Instructions
4 AFS IEW Contest (Essay Category)
 Tips in Writing a Good Essay
 Essay Criteria
 Submission Instructions
5 AFS IEW Social Media Campaign
6 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Page
3
4
12
15
17
19
International Education Week Overview (Resource: State Department Website)
International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of
Education that provides an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange
worldwide. IEW was first held in 2000 and today it's celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. This annual
initiative aims to promote international understanding and build support for international educational exchange
by encouraging the development of programs that prepare Americans to live and work in a global environment
and attract future leaders from abroad to study in the United States. This year’s International Education Week will
be held starting from November 17 – 21, 2014.
AFS IEW Contest Overview
As part of the International Education Week initiative, AFS encourages its hosted students to give presentations
during this time (November 17 – 21, 2014). Note that all Sponsored Programs (YES/CBYX/FLEX) students are
required to make at least one presentation during this time. In addition, AFS is also holding a contest among the
Sponsored Programs students, who would compete for a chance to attend one of two conferences held in early
2015 that focus on promoting intercultural dialogues. One is called Better Understanding for Better World (BUBW),
and is organized by Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF), an organization that AFS often
works with to assist our Sponsored students and their host families with cultural adjustment issues and concerns.
The other is PeaceJam, a conference organized to develop young leaders in local and global communities.
The contest is designed to engage students in activities that celebrate intercultural exchanges in conjunction with
International Education Week. This contest is open to all current CBYX, FLEX and YES students hosted by AFS. The
period of the contest will be on the week of the International Education Week itself as well as the weekend before
and weekend after. (Contest Dates: 15th – 23rd November 2014) Once the contest dates ends, students are given
a grace period of one week to submit their reports and projects. Note that the deadline for all submission is on
the 30th of November, 11:59PM PST.
The contest is divided into 5 different categories, giving students the opportunity to portray their different skills
and talents during IEW. Here are the five categories in which student finalists will be chosen:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Highest Total Number of Presentations
Highest Total Audience Number for Presentations
Excellent Overall Delivery of Presentations
Creative Original Video
Most Engaging Written Article
For more details on the contest and the different categories, please refer to the category overviews on the
following pages.
*Note that this contest is very competitive and only a relatively small number get selected, so we encourage you
to give your best efforts, but make sure that you do not neglect your schoolwork during the competition
period.*Important: All CBYX, FLEX and YES students are required to deliver at least one presentation, and must
report the presentation using the online survey form. This requirement does not include the categories of writing
an article or creation of a video.
3
As mentioned before, there are 5 categories all together in this contest, 3 of which are in the form of a presentation
(Highest Total Number of Presentations / Highest Total Audience Number for Presentations / Excellent Overall
Delivery of Presentations). Here are the Presentation Category General Rules and Regulations.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Student presentations that may be counted towards the contest must be conducted between November
15 and November 23, 2014. This period consists of the offical IEW week plus the weekends before and
after.
The length of students’ presentations should be at least 10 minutes. (A presentation is defined as a
scheduled event with an audience.)
We encourage students to enhance their presentation(s) with the one of the following features:
a. Song, poetry, or dance demonstration
b. Question & answer session
c. PowerPoint slideshow
d. Food
e. Or with another feature ~ get creative!
Reporting: For every presentation, you will need to submit a report using an online survey. If you have
10 presentations, you must submit 10 reports.
Report Here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AFSIEW2014
The report must include the following details:
 Date & Location
 Number of people in attendance
 Topic(s) discussed
 Features (song, slideshow, etc.)
 An interesting thing that happened during your presentation (for example, a question
someone asked, a funny moment, a conversation you had after your presentation)
 Photos of you doing your presentation.
 **Video link** (Applies only for the Excellent Overall Delivery of Presentation Category)
 All reports must be completed by Friday, November 30th, 2014, 11:59PM PST.
4
Judging Criteria
Highest Total Number of Presentations
Highest Total Audience Number for
Presentations
Excellent Overall Delivery of
Presentations
In this category, the winner will be the student
who has conducted the most presentations
during IEW.
This category will be judged on total audience
numbers for all of an individual student’s
presentations. Please keep track of the number
of people in attendance at each presentation.
This category will be judged on presentation
delivery. “Delivery” refers to the number of
enhancement features you use in your
presentations. (Examples of these features
include: a slideshow or a dance demonstration)
The finalists in this category will be those who
not only give many presentations, but also
enhance each presentation and make them
truly special.
To be considered for this category, students
must record one of their best presentations
and include the video link in the reporting. In
addition, you are also required to follow the
instruction provided in the “Creative Original
Video” on pages 12-14.
5
As You Prepare, Think About…
Who is my audience?
Presenting in a classroom requires different preparation than
presenting before an adult group or in a church setting.
How long do I get to present?
The amount of time set for the presentation greatly influences how
you prepare. It is generally better to have too much information rather
than too little.
What is the format of the presentation?
Is this a panel discussion, a class presentation for a grade, an
interactive time with elementary children or perhaps even an
interview? Depending on the nature of the presentation, you should
prepare accordingly. Table 1 below enables you to have a general idea of which presentation format is suitable
for the different group or type of presentation.
How is the presentation room going to be setup?
Is the setup of the room classroom style with everyone facing the same direction, will the audience be in a circle,
is the audience expected to take notes, can you just move around within the group as you present, can you set
up a table with things to show?
How should I approach someone (e.g., a teacher, a community center) and ask to give a presentation?
Plan ahead of time. Introduce yourself and let them know about your participation in IEW. They might not know
about IEW, so be patient and explain a little bit about why you want to give a presentation. Be sure to let them
know how long you would like to speak for, what you want to discuss or share, and if you need any technology
or equipment (such as a microphone, a projector, a laptop, or speakers for audio or music). Be respectful and
polite if they say yes and also if they decline. Remember, you are a student ambassador for your country!
Notes about teachers and educators in the USA:
If you ask a teacher to give a presentation during class time, consider what kind of classes he or she teaches and
how you might give a presentation relates to the subject. For example, if you decide to approach a Biology
teacher, why not include a few facts about the animals that are native to your country? In general, you are likely
to impress a teacher or educator if you take into consideration their teaching subject when you give a
presentation, even if it is only a small part of your presentation.
Overall, educators in the USA want to improve American student learning in STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics) areas of study. This is a nation-wide priority for educators. If you are speaking
with a teacher or educator who teaches one of these subjects, you should mention that you are aware of STEM
educational priorities. By including some information about one or more of these subjects in presentation, you
can help to raise student interest in these topics. For example, you could fascinate an audience by talking about
6
social media in Egypt or civil engineering in India – these are just two examples of hundreds of possibilities that
address STEM-related topics. Think creatively about how you can make this presentation engaging for your
audience while also being educational.
Is it going to be FUN FOR YOU AND FUN AND EDUCATIONAL FOR THE AUDIENCE?
Will there be a question-answer period at the end?
How do I practice my presentation?
Ask your local volunteers, teachers or even your host family, if you can practice with them before your first
presentation. They can make suggestions and also might volunteer to assist you during your presentation. In
particular, review a question and answer time with them so you can get an idea of what people might ask. Your
audience might ask what you consider a silly question.
Other things that you might want to consider before you present:
- Plan early! Ask to give your presentation a few weeks in advance – you are more likely to get the opportunity.
- Make sure to reconfirm the location, date and time of your presentation two days before you are scheduled to
make your presentation.
- If you are speaking during school hours, make SURE your host school knows about your absence and get your
homework ahead of time. You must get approval to leave a class in order to give a presentation. If you are
speaking in a class other than the one you’re supposed to be in during that period, remember to get clearance
from your teacher.
- Some schools need a statement from a volunteer saying why you are absent. If you need any official letter, let
a volunteer know right away!
Format of a Presentation
Introduction
Introduce yourself, using your name program (CBYX, FLEX, or YES), and country. Mention that your
program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and that you are here on scholarship, and that
your hosting organization is AFS. Next, give the readers a sense of what your presentation is about.
Content
Give your presentation! Have fun!
Conclusion
End on a highlight or positive idea. Be sure to remind them your name, country, program, and hosting
organization. Then, if you are presenting to high school students, mention AFS Project Change, an essay
contest for American high school students to win a full scholarship to go abroad. Interested students can
go to www.projectchange.me or www.afsusa.org for more info.
7
Fun things for Show and Tell
Maps: Maps of your home country can be projected on an overhead projector or pasted on a large wall.
Pictures: Personal pictures of your home, school, family, pets, friends and your neighborhood might be even
more interesting to people than pictures of famous buildings or places in your city and country.
Clothing: If you have a national costume, take it with you. If not, wear an AFS tee shirt or a tee shirt from your
country. Even some piece of national clothing is an introduction point.
Books: Written in your native language to pass around. Picture books are also good!
Brochures: Bring the brochures we included in your IEW toolkit and hand out the interest sign-up sheets. There
might be someone in the audience who wants to host next year or who wants to go abroad.
Music: bring any traditional and/or current popular music known in your country. This is especially important for
young people. This again, provides a good break from just talking. It helps to compare traditional music to
music that they might be more familiar with.
Food: Make some sweets from home and bring it with you. (However, be prepared to let people know the
ingredients in case of any food allergies).
*If your presentations require the use of any audio or visual equipment such as a projector or laptop, let the
teacher, group or a volunteer know BEFORE the day of your presentation.
8
Here are some other things you might do to make your IEW presentation come to life!
Your Name: State your name but say if it means something in your native language. Talking about your name
can be interesting and also can bring a group together.
Your Country: Instead of just pulling a map out and showing the audience where you are from, ask someone if
they would like to come up and do that.
A Quiz: Make up a simple quiz about your country to introduce it (country population, name of capital, major
religion in the country, what languages, etc.
Your Home Environment: For people to get to know you as a person, they might want to hear about your
family, your neighborhood, and your hobbies. Audiences, particularly adult ones, like to hear about what your
parents do for a living… maybe contrast that with what your family does here. Give info on your siblings; maybe
show a picture of your house, school, or neighborhood.
School: How is your education in the USA different from your education at home? Avoid making a comparison
of which is better or worse, but instead discuss some similarities and/or differences.
Music/Dance: Here you might sing a song or play some music… even teach a simple dance… maybe bring
someone up to try it with you. Be sure to contrast this music with what is popular here in the US.
National Costume or Clothing: This is a chance to either talk about something you are wearing or something
you brought that is worn… perhaps even a picture of a traditional costume. What do young people your age
wear in your country?
Things: This is a chance to show something you brought that is traditional in your country. People like to see
things… Try to have your national flag and be able to explain it.
Government and History: In general, adults might be more interested than young people. If you want to share
some historical event, turn it into a story. If someone is interested in government and history it might come up
on questions. Otherwise it might not be best to focus on this topic.
Game: Can you show the audience a simple game? If you are speaking to younger children it might be fun to
do one with them. If high schoolers, tell them what young people their ages do in your country.
Art: Having some examples of art is nice, not necessary.
Food: Maybe you brought some samples of food or you could make something in your host family just so the
audience could have a taste. You might compare that to what you have found about US food. Be mindful of
food allergies, especially with younger groups of children.
Language: Most groups love to hear something in your language. Rather than asking them what you should
say, have something ready and then translate it into English. Maybe a greeting!
Why you are here and what are you learning about yourself, the United States, and your own culture (we learn
a lot about our own culture when we are out of it): This section could be very meaningful if you have thought it
out. Before people have a chance to ask you if you like it in the US (which someone always does), beat them to
the question by sharing some of your treasured moments. Maybe talk about how your host parents and natural
parents are ALIKE rather than different. Maybe talk about something you really enjoy about school here or
something very moving that happened to you.
Be genuine, be positive, be prepared. No matter what you decide to present about, enjoy it and take some care
in preparing something for your audience.
9
*Remember: You are unique and most of the people in the audience know little of your country. What they do
know is from a movie, TV, the internet or a book. You are a real living person from “THERE.” This is how walls
are broken down.
Some Special Suggestions for Working with Young Children






Young children in elementary school need action!
So, NO government and politics! Instead, show them things! Dance and sing to them in your
national costume. Have them taste some of your traditional dishes.
This is where having a little game or something they can participate in would really help keep their
interest. Also, they are honest and might surprise you with a question.
They like to hear “awesome things.” Your comment; “Did you know that I have ridden on a
elephant???” Their response, “Really!???”
They love language… teach them some words goes over very well. Elementary school children also
provide one of the most energetic and appreciative audiences you will have!
Bring things they can look at… maybe even set up a table and then pass things around.
Some Suggestions for High Schoolers






High school students are better engaged by interactive activities: quizzes, question-answer, videos
and visuals.
They, too, are not interested much in politics or government, however, there are exceptions, but
those would come in questions.
They tend to want to hear about differences in school, music, what students their age do for fun and
in leisure time, more about you personally.
They also like stories, but more personal ones. They would not be as interested in a folk tale as
younger student might be.
Don’t be surprised if a question is asked that you feel a student their age should already know. Many
students are not very aware of cultures outside their own.
High schoolers also enjoy hearing language differences. Maybe introduce yourself in your language
and then translate it.
10

At the end, mention AFS Project Change. It is a new essay contest for American High School
students ages 15-18. Interested students can go to www.projectchange.me or www.afsusa.org for
more info.
Some Suggestions for Adult Groups





Try to know something about the group before you go so you can tailor your presentation. If you
are speaking to a service club, find out something about them. If you are speaking to a parent
group, stress things about your family, your school, etc.
Again, planning is important. Have an outline of what you want to achieve, topics you want to cover.
Adults would be more interested in politics and government, but do not allow yourself to get into
politics to the point someone might get offended. Talk ABOUT your political system without getting
INTO political views. Feel free to say you are not comfortable discussing something if a controversial
topic arises.
Adults would be interested in differences in religion, food, family life, artifacts, your flag and
languages.
Always find time to explain the program you are participating in and why you feel it is important.
11
If you think you are not able to give multiple presentations or give a presentation that would cater towards
a large group of audience, then this category would be the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your
talent and stand a chance to win a spot to participate in the BUBW conference or PeaceJame!
The content of your video needs to be relevant to IEW 2014. You can refer to the Guidelines for Presentations
(starting on page 6) for some tips on what to include in your video.
One good idea for a video is to portray your culture in a creative way. You can direct and shoot a short story
about your culture or lifestyle back home as well as the comparison between American culture and yours. Be
creative and make sure it is entertaining, unique and special!
If you do not have access to a camera that has a recording function, ask your friends, volunteers, families and
even teachers. If you ask nicely and explain to them why you need it, we are confident that they will help you.
We are not expecting an Oscar-winning movie from you, so do not worry if you do not have good video recording
or video editing skills. You can always ask those who have experience in such projects to help you! The most
important element in this category is to send out a message; YOUR MESSAGE!
Last but not least, enjoy yourself with this project!
Once your video is recorded and edited, you can follow the steps and instructions on how to upload and submit
your video project as presented below.
IEW Contest Video Upload Instructions
1.
Sign-in into the following Google account:
Email
: [email protected]
Password
: afsiewcontest2014
12
2.
After logging in, go to www.youtube.com and click the UPLOAD icon on the top right of your screen.
After clicking the icon, you will be presented with a page similar to the image below.
3.
Click the upload icon in the middle of the page and upload your video.
4.
Once you have attached your video and clicked upload, you will be presented with a page that looks
similar to the image below:
Please fill out the following details as follow:
Title: IEW Contest – Creative Video Category by (Insert your name)
Description: *You can add your own personalized description about your video!
5.
Once all the details are entered, click the PUBLISH icon on the top right of your screen.
6.
Click the link of your video which will be presented to you after clicking the PUBLISH icon. Watch the
video you uploaded to ensure that the video is complete and plays smoothly.
7.
Copy the link of your video and send it to [email protected] with the subject line, “IEW Contest:
Video Submission” latest by Friday, November 30th, 2014, 11:59PM PST.
8.
In your email, also include your Full Name, Program, Home Country, Area Team, Host City & State
9.
Videos will be judged based on the following criteria: Content (How relevant is your video to IEW) &
Creativity (How do you make your video interesting and different from the others).
13
10. You will receive a confirmation email from us informing you that we have received your video
submission and the video you posted is in order and ready to be reviewed.
*Note: For those of you who are submitting a video of your recorded presentation for the “Excellent Overall
Delivery of Presentations” category, please follow the same instruction except for the following:

Before you publish your video on www.youtube.com, please make sure that your title is as follows:
Title
: IEW Contest – Excellent Overall Delivery of Presentations by (Insert your name)
IEW Contest – Creative Video Category by (Insert you name)
14
Besides preparing and presenting cultural presentations or recording and editing videos, students can also
stand a chance to win a spot in the BUBW conference or PeaceJam through this category. If you have a talent
with words and would love to express your thoughts and experiences through a written article, we encourage
you to join this category!
The following are the guidelines for the Most Engaging Written Article Category:
1.
2.
3.
All articles must be approximately 250 – 500 words in length.
You have two options for your article topic:
a. Write about a topic from the “Guidelines for Presentations.” For example, you can write about
your home country’s food, music, art, government etc. If you do this, be sure to mention that
you are sharing this topic as part of International Education Week!
b. Write about the impact of your time in the United States so far. For example, you can write
about the impact the exchange has had on you or on your community. What story will best
demonstrate the impact? You can write about a specific event from your community or give
more than one example. You can also write about an event that took place during
International Education Week.
Requirements: You have two options for how to report your efforts in this category,
a. You may submit your article directly to us by sending it in a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
format.
-ORb. You may submit your article to a local or high school newspaper or website, and then send us
a link to the article if it is published. Tell us the name of the periodical and the date it was
published. If the article is not published online, please send us a copy of the article (you can
scan the article and attach it in an email).
Whichever option you choose, please include a color photo included with a caption (tell us who is in
the photo and what they are doing).
4.
5.
6.
Submit your article/link to your article or a scanned copy of your published article to
[email protected] with the subject line, “IEW Contest: Article Submission”
Do not forget to include: Full Name, Program, Home Country, Area Team, Host City and State!
Note that all essays must be submitted latest by 30th of November, 11:59PM PST
Please refer to the “IEW Article Format Guidelines” below for a sample of a well-formatted document.
15
IEW Article Format Guideline
Title
Choose an interesting title for your article
Introduction
Introduce yourself, using your name program, and country. Give the readers a sense of what your article
is about and some brief background on the program you are on.
Content
Your content should be the details of your story or your topic. Make sure your content is clear and
interesting for the readers. Describe your experience and also let your readers know what your thoughts
about what you just described. How does it affect you and why do you think it is important?
You can also include your challenges and successes and what you have learned from those experiences.
Photo
Include a color photo that is relevant to your article. Make sure you include a short caption beneath it.
Conclusion
End on a highlight or positive idea. Also include your personal thoughts about your experience so far in
terms of the values, the similarities and differences as well as your hopes. Let us know what you hope to
achieve throughout the remainder of your exchange year.
16
Besides having this contest with its 5 categories, we are also launching a social media campaign that
would increase awareness of international education and exchanges worldwide. As the goal of IEW is
to promote intercultural understanding and to build support for international educational exchanges
throughout the world, we would like to encourage all students, volunteers and the community around
the AFS Sponsored Program group to be active in spreading this great message around.
How can you be a part of this social media campaign? There are numerous ways for you to participate!
Here are some of the ways you can be involved!
1. Like our Official AFS IEW Facebook page! On this page, we will be posting updates on the
competition, including photos and videos, as well as articles that have been submitted by
students throughout International Education week. What do you do after liking the page? We
would encourage you to follow the page closely for the interesting updates we have lined up
for you, however, the best way to increase exposure is to ‘SHARE’ our page so that your friends,
teachers, neighbors, and your community around you are aware of this incredible campaign!
2. Share you experience! We love to hear about what you have been up to since you arrived here
in the United States! We love to see photos, hear your thoughts, or watch videos of your
exchanges! If you have something to say that would relate to IEW, share it by including the
following hashtags on your post! (#IEW2013 #myafsyear #afsculturalcuisine (if it is food related)
You can also tag us on Twitter: @AFSUSA, Facebook: @AFSUSA or on Instagram: @afs_usa
 For YES students, you can also use the following hashtags and tags
#KLYES or tweet to @yesprogramnews
Tweet specifically to @NancyAFSUSA if you want to be featured in the YES feed!
3. Featured photo of the day! There are plenty of you out there that are extremely good in
capturing moments! Photos are captures of memories that can last forever, and we would want
to see them and share them as well. Whenever you post a picture that you want to share with
the AFS community, simply just include the following hashtags #afsfeaturedphotos #IEW2014
#myafsyear #afsculturalcuisine (food related) #afs_gram #afs_captures
If we like what you are posting, we will feature your photo in our daily photo featured list!
SHARE! LIKE! HASHTAGS! TWEET!
17
==
18
FAQs
What is the IEW Contest?
This contest is designed to engage students in activities that celebrate intercultural exchanges in conjunction
with International Educational Week. AFS conducts this contest, and students compete for a limited number of
spots to attend a BUBW conference.
Who is eligible to participate?
CBYX, FLEX and YES students hosted by AFS are eligible to participate in the contest.
When is the IEW contest period?
Student efforts given during the period of November 15 – 23rd, 2014 may count towards the contest. However,
all projects must be submitted latest by November 30th, 11:59PM PST.
What topic(s) should I cover in my efforts?
Students typically present on a topic or issue from their home cultures. If you need some ideas, you can read
the “Guidelines for Presentations” attached in this booklet.
How long do I have to report all of my efforts?
You may report your presentations until Friday, November 30th, 2014 at 11:59PM PST. No submissions will be
accepted after the deadline.
What if I have technical difficulties or question about the online reporting form or submission methods?
You can contact Sam Kahler (email: [email protected] or phone: 212-299-9000 ext. 2214 for any questions or
concerns. Please contact Sam before November 21st so that he can be most helpful.
What if I don’t want to be selected to go to the BUBW or PeaceJam, do I still have to participate?
Yes! All CBYX, FLEX and YES students are required to deliver at least one presentation, and must report the
presentation using the online survey form. This requirement does not include the categories of writing an article
or creating a video.
When will I know if I am a finalist?
AFS Sponsored Programs staff spend a lot of time on the selection process. If you are a finalist, Sam will contact
you by email (along with your host family, your cluster coordinator and your liaison) by late December.
What are the BUBW/PeaceJam conference dates?
BUBW: Orlando, Florida: February 2015
PeaceJam: Various throughout Spring and Winter 2015
I have applied to participate in other student opportunities too. What if I am selected as a finalist for one of
those?
You may only attend one special contest opportunity. If you are selected for more than one, please make your
decision and inform Sam Kahler which you have decided to attend. For an overview of other opportunities,
please go to the AFS Wiki (see link below).
https://www.afswiki.org/index.php/Click_here_for_more_information_about_International_Education_
Week_%26_BUBW\
19
20
AFS wishes you good luck and
thank you for your participation!
21

Download Report