- The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program seeks to provide high school students from countries around the world with a better understanding of American society and its people, institutions, values, and culture.Funded by the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, this program helps students to foster lasting personal ties, engage in activities that promote mutual understanding across cultures, establish leadership skills, and understand… Read More
- Editor's note: In 1996, Thomas Burns decided to take his study of the Russian language to the next level by spending a semester in St. Petersburg and what is now the Russian Language and Area Studies Program. Since then, he's lived and worked in several other countries while building his career as a visual storyteller. Today, he is based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Why did you decide to study abroad in Russia?I had been studying Russian at college in the US, but I just wasn’t happy with… Read More
- For Abena Amoakuh, persistence has made all the difference. She had been studying Spanish since kindergarten but decided to switch to Chinese in college to support her interest in a business career. The language was a challenge, and when she studied abroad in China during her junior year, she often let local friends take the lead when language skills were required. Looking for a more intensive language experience, she applied for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program that summer… Read More
- Habib Debaya, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study student From Tunisia; Hosted in Nebraska As he waited for his meeting with a staffer from Senator Deb Fischer's office, Habib explained that he was proud to be hosted in Nebraska. He has taken five AP courses at his high school, including macroeconomics and government, and he has learned how to play American football. When the staffer asked him to describe his program, he was ready. “Everyone gets a different experience, but it’s all… Read More
- The Future Leaders Exchange program celebrated its 25th cohort of students yesterday, at a ceremony in the Kennedy Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. The reception honored the latest 200 students to complete the program.Several guest speakers, including Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, congratulated the students on their accomplishment, while challenging them to make their voices heard. Mr. Murphy, who studied abroad in college, shared that he started questioning the leaders in his community as a… Read More
- Thanks to generous American families from various backgrounds, over 40,000 students hailing from more than 50 countries have been hosted in every state through study abroad programs administered by American Councils. These international students received prestigious, merit-based scholarships through the U.S. Department of State and become connected with compassionate, globally conscious families that support immersive experiences to learn English and local cultures.While host families provide… Read More
- Sponsored by the United States Department of State, the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program promotes mutual understanding between citizens of the United States and 22 countries across Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia.Every FLEX exchange student lives with a volunteer host family for one academic year to learn about American values, attend a U.S. high school, and teach Americans about their home countries. Participants return home galvanized and inspired to share their new experiences… Read More
- The Workshop for Youth Leaders in English Teaching (WYLET) is a program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for select exchange students on the FLEX and YES programs.WYLET builds on the U.S. experience through an intensive, week-long training program for aspiring English language teachers in Washington, DC. The Workshop cultivates skills specific to teaching English, such as student-centered methodology, effective use of technology, classroom management… Read More
- Editor's Note: This article was originally written by the YES Program. Inspired by the values of inclusion he experienced during his exchange year in the US, Nehemiah brought sign language to his hometown in Nigeria. Living for a year in the United States often provides opportunities for exchange students that would have been unthinkable in their home countries. For Youth Exchange and Study (YES) student, Nehemiah, from Nigeria, spending an exchange year in Arvada, Colorado meant… Read More
- An exchange student has many new experiences during an academic year in America: new foods, new places, new schools, and new families. For a select group of students each year, that list includes meeting elected officials in Washington D.C. through the Civic Education Workshop.This year the workshop celebrates its 25th anniversary. The weeklong event, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State, offers exchange students a closer look at how American civil society functions. Students… Read More
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