A Dallas ISD high school student will spend next school year living in Germany with a host family, attending a German high school, and participating in a four-week language and cultural immersion camp to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life.
Alina McSpadden, a rising junior at Booker T. Washington For the Visual & Performing Arts, is one of 250 American high school students from across the United States to be awarded the prestigious Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Scholarship for the 2019-2020 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, Alina will also have the chance to visit the German Bundestag, meet with American and German government officials, participate in intercultural seminars, and explore the country through numerous excursions to nearby cities, historical sites, and more.
Each year, as a U.S. Department of State partner, CIEE awards the fully-funded CBYX scholarship to 100 high-achieving high school students from 18 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, allowing youth from a diverse array of communities to participate in a full cultural immersion experience. The CBYX program, which is jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, was created to foster mutual understanding and strengthen ties between Germany and the U.S. through citizen diplomacy.
“The U.S. Government is committed to a strong, collaborative partnership with Germany, and programs like CBYX help secure that relationship for future generations,” said Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce. “The program is a true public‐private partnership, leveraging the contributions of host families, educational institutions, and local communities.”
