The Foreign Service Journal, September 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2017 87 AFSA NEWS Celebrating Foreign Service Youth Achievements On July 7, the American Foreign Service Association honored its 2017 Merit Award winners and sponsors in a first-time joint ceremony with sister Foreign Service organizations at the State Department’s George C. Marshall Center. More than 55 students, living in the United States or at posts overseas from ages 5 to 18, were honored as awards were presented by AFSA, Associates of the American For- eign Service Worldwide, the Overseas Briefing Center and the Foreign Service Youth Foundation. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Resources Constance Dierman gave the keynote address. The Family Liaison Office was instrumental in providing administrative support. AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson and AFSA Scholarship Committee Chair Ambassador (ret.) Lange Schermerhorn presented awards to nine recipients (out of 24 AFSA awardees) who were present at the ceremony. In her remarks, Amb. Stephenson praised the resilience of children in Foreign Service families, and recognized the hard work of those receiving awards at the ceremony. AFSA recipients in attendance were Claudia Amadeo- Luyt; Emma Bachman; Peter Huson, accepting for his brother, Scott; Harry Kamian; Marianna Karagiannnis; Jules Levy; Jarrah May; Alice Naland and Jane O’Connor. Also present were AFSA Merit Award donors John and Priscilla Becker, Jim Elmore of Embassy Risk Management, AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson (far right) and Scholarship Committee Chair Ambassador (ret.) Lange Schermerhorn (far left) with the nine local winners of AFSA Merit Award scholarships at the July 7 award ceremony. AFSA/JOAQUINSOSA Continued on page 90