Introducing AYLP
Singapore & Malaysia Class of 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 14, 2013
Contact: Rachael Taft
Email: rtaft@culturalvistas.org
Cultural Vistas Unveils the AYLP Singapore & Malaysia Class of 2013
18 U.S. high school students selected to study sustainable development
NEW YORK – Cultural Vistas is pleased to announce the selection of the 2013 class of the American Youth Leadership Program (AYLP) with Singapore and Malaysia, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State.
The 18 U.S. high school students and two educators selected to participate in this funded, yearlong program represent 15 different states, plus Washington, D.C. During the program they will gain firsthand experience and knowledge of the people and cultures of Singapore and Malaysia, with a specific focus on the two nations’ approaches to sustainable development.
The students are currently in the midst of the virtual component of the program, performing research and collaborating together online on various pre-program projects to orient them to the cultures of each country and the environmental issues they will encounter. At the end of June, they will come together in Los Angeles for a pre-departure orientation, and on July 1 they will fly to Singapore to begin their three-week immersion experience, which includes a series of educational and cultural workshops, team-building exercises, community service activities, university lectures, sightseeing, and homestay experience.
"It is a true honor to be a part of this important endeavor in Malaysia and Singapore. The pre-departure work has been meaningful and instructive," said Nora Laberee, an AYLP student participant and Medford, N.J. native. She added the things she looks forward to most on the trip are "exploring the natural beauty of these countries, representing the USA with enthusiasm, making new friends, and gaining a deeper knowledge and understanding of the sustainability challenges there and elsewhere on this blue planet."
Upon returning to their hometowns, students will implement education and service projects in their communities involving the skills and learning they acquired during the exchange.
"Mostly applicants ask what a program can do for them, but in the case of AYLP, we get the chance to share our experiences with our communities with a post-travel project. This is one of the reasons I am excited about AYLP," said Nathaniel Larson, a high school student from Minneapolis. "This program combines elements of our topic of study – sustainable urban development – with interaction of the culture of Singapore and Malaysia, a duo that is, to me, irresistible."
This marks the third year of the American Youth Leadership Program, and the first with Singapore and Malaysia as the destination countries. Cultural Vistas previously administered American Youth Leadership Programs conducted in Japan for more than 60 American students and educators during both the summers of 2011 and 2012.
The American Youth Leadership Program with Singapore & Malaysia Class of 2013
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Students
Cosmo Albrecht, Castle Hills, TexasInternational School of the Americas Chase Ammon, Washington, D.C. School Without Walls Kirsten Brodeen, Ft. Collins, Colorado Rocky Mountain High School Valerie Cazeau, Laurel, Maryland Atholton High School Noah Gallant, Bethany, Connecticut Amity Regional High School Patrick Goff, Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque Academy Julianne Rose Goodman, Wyckoff, New Jersey Bergen County Academies Derek Kiy, San Diego, California Canyon Crest Academy Nora Laberee, Medford, New Jersey Homeschooled Nathaniel Larson, Minneapolis, Minnesota Southwest High School |
Forrest Malcolm, Pembroke, North Carolina Purnell Swett High School West Career and Technical Academy Ashley Reed, Hudson, Ohio Hudson High School Samuel Robbins, Midlothian, Virginia Manchester High School Mara Sherline, Baltimore, Maryland Bryn Mawr School Josue Tovar, Nevada, Iowa Nevada High School Sophie Westbrook, Lawrence, Kansas Lawrence Free State High School Jamie Withorne, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Washington High School Educators Kristen Bright, Statesville, North Carolina South Iredell High School Mary Stewart, San Antonio, Texas International School of the Americas |
Learn more about the American Youth Leadership Program with Singapore and Malaysia at culturalvistas.org/aylp.
About Cultural Vistas
A non‐profit 501(c)(3) organization and designated sponsor of Exchange Visitor Programs, Cultural Vistas has facilitated professional exchange programs and services for visitors coming to the United States, and Americans seeking overseas experiential learning opportunities since 1950 — Learn more at culturalvistas.org
Follow @CulturalVistas on Twitter
About the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
The ECA fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly and peaceful relations through a wide range of academic, cultural, and professional exchange programs — Learn more at exchanges.state.gov
Follow @ConnectStateGov on Twitter
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