Meet Yeruultkhuu “Yeru”- February 2026 Student of the Month!

American Councils is proud to recognize Yeruultkhuu “Yeru” from Mongolia, placed in Virginia as our Student of the Month for February. February was a particularly meaningful month for Yeru, as Mongolia celebrated Lunar New Year, one of the most important holidays in his country. To help his classmates learn about this tradition, Yeru delivered presentations at his school. He loved introducing students to Mongolian culture, identity, and holiday traditions. He also hosted a Mongolian cultural celebration for his American friends, preparing traditional dishes and sharing music from his home country. For Yeru, seeing his friends enjoy the food, music, and traditions of Mongolia made the experience incredibly meaningful. 

Yeru’s friends especially loved the fried dumplings he made — finishing them in just 20 minutes!

Throughout his exchange year, Yeru has been deeply involved in community service. With these volunteer experiences come a strong admiration for the volunteer spirit in the United States. He says, “My host mom is a great example of this spirit. She volunteers frequently, and I sometimes have the chance to see the impact of her work firsthand. It is inspiring to realize that she is one of many Americans who try to make the world better through small but meaningful actions.” Some of his most memorable volunteer experiences include supporting an International Festival and helping run a Pop-Up Thrift Store fundraiser for Special Olympics.  

Through the Pop-Up Thrift Store project, Yeru helped organize donations for weeks leading up to the event. In the end, the team raised $5,000 for Special Olympics, an accomplishment that made him proud to contribute to such a meaningful cause

Yeru is passionate about filmmaking and is already taking steps toward his dream career. Last fall, he collaborated with friends at his previous school to create a short film about homesickness and finding comfort while living far from home. The project explored the idea that “true comfort is not something we find — it’s something we create.” 

The film resonated with many people and strengthened his friendships with classmates who worked on the project. Reflecting on the exchange experience, he described students as heroes in their own journeys. “The hero always leaves home, fights the dragons, and saves the princess — then returns home as a completely new person.” 

For Yeru, the “dragons” exchange students face include homesickness, fear, and uncertainty. But through these challenges come growth, courage, and accomplishment. Yeru strives to be a visionary, courageous, and reflective — qualities that clearly shine through in his exchange experience. Through sharing his culture, serving his community, and pursuing his creative dreams, Yeru embodies the spirit of international exchange. 

Yeru, we are proud of all you accomplished this year! Congratulations on being our February Student of the Month!