Study in the USA today
Do you study in 9-11 grade? Do you want to go to the USA? To become an ambassador for an academic year? To become an independent personality? To visit real American football game like in movies? To find a plenty friend from all over the world? Sure, this list can be continued forever.
However, let me tell you the main purpose I write. FLEX (Future Leaders EXchange) is what you are looking for. The program was founded in the beginning of nineties and it is still successfully working in post-Soviet Union countries. FLEX finalists have an opportunity to live and to study in the USA for free with receiving of monthly allowance during the academic year. Almost 250 Ukrainian students arrive at the state of freedom from every “generation”.
To become a finalist students have to go through a lot of challenges. In the beginning, it the first tour, what is passed all over Ukraine. Now it is finished almost in all regions, but there are some cities, what only are going to pass it.
Students have to pass a small test what will show their knowledge of English. In the day of the first tour, they will know who will go to the second. The second one is about the writing of three essays in English. They have to describe the personality of the writer, who has only 35 minutes to complete the assignment. The third tour is the hardest. Students have to make a lot of efforts: to write essays on different topics, to complete the test, to fill the application, to go through the interview and the group game.
For sure, not everyone becomes the finalist. Only 2% of participants fly to the USA. But why not to try? The year in America is a great experience. The student will study in the absolutely different school, live in a very small or, on the contrary, in a very big city, make presentations about homeland, volunteer (every participant must complete from 50 to 100 volunteer hours), meet a lot of new people. To improve language skills. To travel the USA. Who knows, maybe you will go to sunny Hawaii, cold Alaska, dreamy California or Mormon Utah?
In general, FLEX alumni become successful people in future. For instance, famous Ukrainian singer Pianoboy was FLEX participant. Some alumni create their own projects, someone goes to the international relations. One of the alumni now works in the embassy.
As every exchange student says, the year abroad changes teenager a lot. A student becomes responsible, brave, confident leader.
