A typewriter was the reason Ms. Dora Papastefanou was introduced to the American Farm School. She was widely respected as a staff member and continues to offer her services to the School through her volunteer work as a member of the Group for Student Services (GSS).

When the School’s management decided, 34 years ago, that students should be taking extra typewriting lessons, Ms. Papastefanou was the right teacher to ask. The recommendation came through teacher Vouli Proussali, who was the aunt of her husband. For a whole year, the students were attending a typewriting class on Fridays and Saturdays. A year later, she started teaching on a regular basis as the class was incorporated to the curriculum.

As a staff member, she met many people that changed her core. "I got to know a wonderful School, where children learned things not taught in other schools, such as respect ​​for life and property, skills and entrepreneurship", she says.

She has many stories to share but she can’t help but mention the story of a young couple who – back in the day – got suspended by the Resident Life Coordinator due to inappropriate behavior and returned to the School as a married couple years later. She also remembers the visit of a German education inspector who praised the School as a unique institution worldwide.

She speaks fondly of the people she closely worked with like Mrs. Joan Ryding Beltes and Vouli Proussali and she still considers the American Farm School "a School of excellence.”

Angelos Angelidis