When February YES Student of the Month, Mohammed Yousaf Qureshi (YES 2016-2017, Pakistan, hosted by PAX in Whitehall, WI), hand crafted a table for his host father for Christmas, he signed it with a flourish, burning in the inscription, "with love, Yousaf Staff." Staff is his host family’s last name, and Yousaf attached it to his own to demonstrate his respect, admiration, and love. For the holiday, his host family demonstrated their own affection for Yousaf and his culture by dressing in the traditional Pakistani clothing he gave them.

Yousaf has happily blended with his host family in every way. He has helped with setting up his host father’s new business, where the new table will go. He helps regularly with chores around the house and cooks Pakistani food for the family once a week. His host siblings always look forward to the culinary adventure.

The YES student from Pakistan adapted with equal enthusiasm to his American school, Whitehall Memorial High School. In the fall, he joined the football team, playing as varsity kicker, and later he joined varsity wrestling and qualified for the regional tournaments. In an amazing vote of confidence for an international student, Yousaf was elected vice president of the student council and DECA Club secretary. Yousaf also auditioned for and won the role of a dancer in the school musical, Beauty and the Beast. He rounds out this demanding extracurricular schedule with participation in FFA, choir, yearbook, and forensics.

Just as Yousaf’s host family loves his cooking, his friends and teachers at school enjoyed the traditional food that he cooked and brought to school during International Education Week (IEW).  In the weeks leading up to and during IEW, Yousaf managed to give a total of 40 presentations, reaching 1000-1200 people.  One of Yousaf's proudest accomplishments was hosting a Veteran's Day event to honor the veterans in the community that included a short presentation about himself and his country. Yousaf has also done an impressive range of volunteer jobs, from working on blood drives to tutoring children in math. It’s safe to say that everyone in Whitehall, Wisconsin knows Yousaf.

Yousaf found an even bigger audience in Pakistan; he was selected for a Voice of America interview that was broadcast on live TV and Facebook to thousands of people in his home country. A true cultural ambassador, he took the opportunity to discuss his great exchange year, his loving host community, and his host family and encouraged Pakistani students to go on international exchanges.

“Yousaf is a wonderful student with a generous heart who has gone the extra mile to show his host family and host community how grateful he is to be here,” his local coordinator wrote. The YES student is currently working on a plaque for his school that will list the names and home countries of all exchange students who attend the school, as well as their host families’ names. In the years to come, passers-by may see the plaque and be inspired to participate in cultural exchange themselves.

Congratulations, Yousaf, on giving back to your host family, school, community, and home country!