LHS junior receives U.S. State Department scholarship
~ Press release provided by U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
LURAY, May 30 — CIEE, a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, announced that Briana Plum, a sophomore at Luray High School, is one of 250 American high school students to be awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Scholarship for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. CBYX is a bi-lateral exchange program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and German Bundestag (Parliament).
As a CBYX scholar, Briana will spend the academic year in Germany living with a host family, attending a German high school, and participating in a language and cultural training program to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life. Additionally, there will be the chance to visit the German Bundestag, meet with American and German government officials, participate in intercultural seminars, and explore the country through excursions to nearby cities and historical sites.
Each year, on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, CIEE awards 100 CBYX scholarships to high-achieving high school students from 18 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, allowing youth from a diverse array of communities to participate in a full cultural immersion experience.
In addition to engaging students and young professionals, CBYX also showcases citizen diplomacy, with more than 700 host families per academic year providing an immersive experience for program participants. In addition to American students and young professionals studying abroad, German students also come to live and study in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, professional, and sports exchange programs. ECA exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in many fields in the United States and in more than 160 countries. Alumni of ECA exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 350 current or former heads of state and government.
Since 1947, the nonprofit organization CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange has been bringing the world together, advancing peace by building bridges between different people, different countries, and different cultures. For 75 years, CIEE has helped young people participate in high-quality international exchange and study abroad programs that help them develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. We change lives, our alumni change the world. Since 1997, CIEE has served as an implementing partner to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs on several prestigious high school scholarship exchange programs, including CBYX.
German language skills are not required to apply for the scholarship. To learn more about hosting an international high school exchange student coming to the Luray, VA area for the 2024-2025 academic year, please visit www.ciee.org/host-families. For more information about CBYX, visit exchanges.state.gov/cbyx or contact CIEE at 800-448-9944.
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