Interview with Anthony "Tony" Agnello, November 28, 2022

Interview Summary

Anthony Agnello served as a married Peace Corps volunteer (PCV) in Afghanistan from 1972-74 in a hybrid Teacher Corps-Peace Corps program. His 1-year Teacher Corps internship in Lackawanna, NY focused on learning technical educational skills, language and intercultural skills in preparation for 2-year Peace Corps service in Afghanistan. As a curriculum coordinator for the provincial school district, he and his Afghan counterpart provided a hands-on learning model for teachers. He earned a master’s degree in education through the program. After service, he established the International Youth Center as a contractor for the American International School of Kabul. He discusses the timeless nature of life in rural communities despite political turmoil and attendant cultural changes. He talks about the urgency of fulfilling Peace Corps 3rd goal of fostering intercultural understanding and his lifelong commitment to this goal. He co-founded the Alliance for Intercultural Understanding; serves as President of Friends of Afghanistan, both affiliates of the National Peace Corps Association; and raised funds to build 6 schools for Afghan girls, which involved returning to Afghanistan in 2003 and 2006.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (US) Afghanistan (Country of Service) hybrid Teacher Corps-Peace Corps education program (Peace Corps program) 1972-74 (years of Peace Corps service) Lackawanna, NY (a city immediately south of Buffalo, NY where he did his Teacher Corps internship) Samangan Province (where he served Emir-e-Science for the province’s four high schools and seven middle schools.) Buffalo State teacher training in country training Yemini population in Lackawanna (program context) Orchard Park High School Educational Outreach Fund (through which he raised funds for building schools for girls) Academy for Human Rights (Buffalo, N.Y. based organization).

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