Are you a high school student or teacher of high school students interested in international exchange with Japan? If so, check out the High School Diplomats program offered every summer at Princeton University for a wonderful opportunity to expand horizons and enjoy ten days living and learning with Japanese students. The deadline for applying to participate in the 2012 program is January 8th, so check out their official website for details!

——

High School Diplomats:
A cultural exchange program between Japanese and American HS students

Some people say it changed their life. Many say it changed the way they viewed the world and the people living in it. And pretty much everyone says “it was the best ten days of my life.”

What is it, you ask? It is High School Diplomats, a cultural exchange program between American and Japanese high school students. It is a full-scholarship* program that gives 40 American students the chance to build relationships with people from another country and learn another culture firsthand. And most importantly, it is a once in a lifetime experience that opens kids’ eyes to a whole new perspective on the world, while also helping them learn more about themselves.

For the past 25 years, AIU Insurance and the Freeman Foundation have sponsored the High School Diplomats program. 40 sophomore and junior high school students are selected from all across the country to come to Princeton University, where they are paired up with a Japanese high school student based on similarities in personality and interests/hobbies. For ten days, the students attend language and cultural classes, and participate in a mixture of academic discussions, presentations and fun activities.

High School Diplomats is a summer program like no other because between all of the fun activities, all the classes, and all the meals, the students are overcoming language barriers** and cultural differences, and forming lifelong relationships and friendships.

If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to e-mail us at semarklin@highschooldiplomats.com, or visit our site at http://www.highschooldiplomats.com for more information. Additional videos describing the program can be found on our YouTube account at http://www.youtube.com/HighSchoolDiplomats

Sincerely,
The HSD Staff

Note: Only current sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. Please visit our website at http://www.highschooldiplomats.com/america.php to download your application. Applications are due January 8th.

*All travel, food, and room expenses are covered in the scholarship
**Knowledge of the Japanese language is not required