You have most likely heard of CIEE before at AHS through friends or display cases in the hallways, however most people here likely don’t know what happens there. CIEE otherwise known as the Council on International Educational Exchange is a program offered here at AHS as we are a Global Navigator School. It gives students an opportunity to travel abroad during the summer months, allows students to discover new cultures, meet people from around the world, and experience hands-on learning beyond the classroom, creating unforgettable memories.
Think to yourself, have you ever wanted to travel to Italy, Spain, or even England? They are all offered as well as an additional 133 countries which are categorized so students can learn more about select topics. For example, students going to Rome, Italy can learn about Architecture and Culture in Europe whereas students going to Paris, France can study Culinary Arts. Recently the program has gone to Tokyo, Japan where students studied Anime and Pop culture which is a highly popular class. The program can help students grow their knowledge on their world language studies, study of historical locations, and get real life experience in cities across the globe.
Participating in CIEE doesn’t just give students the chance to travel, but it also helps students gain confidence, independence, and even make friends across the globe. From trying new foods to having the free time to explore foreign cities as well as the experience of engaging in meaningful projects can really make the program fun. These experiences teach important life skills like problem-solving, and communication that students can carry with them long after high school.
“In the future I’m looking into attending the classes in Berlin, Germany focusing on eco-friendly solutions to cars. Germany is really set on being eco friendly and having a lot of bikes,” sophomore Gabriel Tompkins said. “I’m [also] thinking of traveling to Kyoto, Japan to study culinary arts. I’m looking forward to seeing the temples and the nice nature there. I think that this will be a fun event to take part in, and I think studying abroad with CIEE is close to a free vacation,” she added.
To cover the cost of travel, students are required to pay out of pocket. Some costs can get pretty high, However, CIEE offers all students a chance to apply for a scholarship. Scholarships will usually cover most of your expenses however you may still need to purchase a plane ticket to wherever you are headed. You can get up to $1,500 to $2,500 on a scholarship (heavily based on household income).
Why should students join the program?
“[CIEE is] good for college applications because less than two percent of students study abroad in high school and when you do it you will stand out,”CIEE Coordinator Meredith Hedrick said.
By engaging with topics students already care about abroad, global perspectives are entrenched in students after their visit, giving students a larger variety of experiences to share within their essays and other application elements. Other aspects of the trip also interest colleges in students’ applications such as their abilities to learn new languages and dedicate three weeks to learning about your topic of choice.
Beginning in W2 today, CIEE student representatives visited multiple classes, hitting the World Language Department, the Class 2027 IB Diploma Candidates in their Pride Times and others.
Tonight at 7 p.m., CIEE will host their Parent Night in the Parent Resource Center.
According to a blurb in the Weekly Community Insider, “[They will be] discussing giving our students access to scholarships to study abroad this summer. The programs and scholarships are intended to open the world to students, helping them navigate across languages, connect with other cultures, and impact global and local issues in today’s interconnected world.”
Last summer sophomore Ruby Connelly traveled to Florence, Italy. She got to see the Uffizi Museum, an art museum with many famous pieces like the “Birth of Venus” painting and many other artworks.
“I highly recommend the program to others if they enjoy art and drawing because that specific program was for the arts. But CIEE offers many other programs in other countries and for other interests,” she said.
If you’re looking into joining CIEE or are just interested, you can reach out to Hedrick ([email protected]) or check out the CIEE website, www.ciee.org, to find more information, and follow them on Instagram @atomsciee, along with the mother program’s @cieeglobalnavigators.
Overall, AHS students have this once in a lifetime opportunity to get some experience learning abroad and getting to learn about things they may find interesting as a future career.
Programs like CIEE truly inspire curiosity among students, establish a good cultural understanding, give students a head start toward becoming someone ready to make a difference wherever life takes them next.
