- Through the U.S. Department of State’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, high school students from countries of strategic importance around the world live and study for an academic year in the United States. YES students serve as “youth ambassadors” of their home country by forming lasting relationships with their host families and communities. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to… Read More
- “Life-changing” - that’s how Heath Vickerman, a longtime host parent and local coordinator with American Councils, describes the experience of welcoming exchange students into his home in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. More than a dozen former students across the globe still call Heath and his wife, Tina, “Mom” and “Dad.” While exchange programs are often viewed as benefiting the students themselves, the experience is equally enriching for host families. To date, over 40,000 students from… Read More
- While host families provide international students with transforming opportunities for language and personal development—the experience can be equally rewarding for participating families. Each day is a chance to appreciate new perspectives and welcome an exchange student into their community. U.S. host families include single parents, couples without children, military families, empty nesters, and retirees. “The main thing that matters is your heart for hosting and desire to learn about other… 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
- 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
- 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
- Editor's note: From our most junior level staffers to our president, our global staff has a lot of knowledge about exchange to share. This month, we asked them to share some of their best advice, based on their studies, work experience, and their time working at American Councils. For this piece, we asked: What is your best advice for someone going on an exchange program? 1. Be prepared to present [your] country's culture, do not hesitate to make new friends, have a good… Read More
- Meder’s journey from Kyrgyzstan to America actually started in Ghana.Last fall, Meder Mukai Uulu was thrilled to learn he earned a scholarship for the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program. The competitive, merit-based program, which is sponsored by the United States Department of State, has an acceptance rate of less than three percent. FLEX students live with a host family and attend an American high school, and Meder couldn’t wait. Meanwhile in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Spalding… Read More
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