- 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
- 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
- From May 11-13, 2023, the 2022-2023 Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP) cohort of exchange teachers traveled to Washington, DC, to attend the annual TCLP Spring Leadership Workshop. The TCLP exchange teachers from Egypt, Morocco, and Taiwan have spent the academic year teaching Arabic and Mandarin to U.S. students in primary and secondary schools, developing partnerships with U.S. schools, and sharing resources, teaching methods, and aspects of their cultures. The workshop began at… 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
- Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program provides merit-based scholarships for eligible American high school students to study and live overseas in select YES countries for an academic year. The YES Abroad program was initiated in 2009 as a reciprocal extension of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program for international students from countries around the world.YES Abroad students serve as youth ambassadors of… Read More