Each year, American Councils holds an essay contest called "My American Experience." We asked our FLEX, YES, and Cultural Bridges students to reflect on the value of exchange programs for both exchange participants and Americans in their host communities. Here is the winning essay from Mirela, a YES student from Bulgaria placed in Edwardsville, IL!

The American Councils International Student Support Team is excited to announce a contest for students to attend the National Youth Leadership Council's 27th Annual Service-Learning Conference. This year's conference will take place from March 30-April 2 in Minneapolis, MN. 

Students who:

The Neon Splash Dash 5k is an annual event to raise money and awareness for children's heart disease and research. Eight American Councils FLEX students from Georgia, Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine, along with one American Councils YES student from Egypt, volunteered for over 7 hours during this charity race in Texas, helping to spray the runners as they came through the splash zones.

YES program exchange student and soccer player at Pueblo West High School Atem Nileng-Asong credits his fancy footwork with a soccer ball to his homeland, the West African country of Cameroon.  

http://www.chieftain.com/sports/1852906-120/west-pueblo-south-asong#stha...

For most students, math is hard enough without having to worry about a language barrier. However, for Ukrainian FLEX student and junior Polina Merezhko, the fact that English is her second language does little to hinder her success in math class.

http://www.lhsbudget.com/news/2013/10/03/ukrainian-student-excels-in-math/

Photo Caption: Smiling as she learns a new math concept, junior Polina Merezhko provides a unique point of view in her Pre-Calculus class. Photo by Ashley Hocking

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel thousands of miles away to a foreign country and completely immerse yourself in a new language and culture? Read about a cluster of students in Texas who are adjusting to life in the U.S., including our own Olha from Ukraine on the FLEX program!

http://www.joshuastar.net/ci_24281011