Summer 2022 Issue
CELEBRATING STUDENT SERVICE LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS! How a group of high schoolers were inspired by an iEARN project and launched a citywide awareness campaign
YES, SHE CAN! Community service with YES changed the course of her life
“THE EASIEST WAY TO FIND YOURSELF IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS”
iEARN’S 2ND ANNUAL 5K KICKS OFF
Syed Asad Ali shares his experience with YES
ONE NSLI-Y STUDENT’S INSPIRING STORY “The NSLI-Y spirit of growing as a language learner and as a person through adversity and challenge lives on in me.”
2022 VIRTUAL PROJECT EXHIBITION iEARN-USA’S SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS! How a group of high schoolers were inspired by an iEARN project and launched a city-wide awareness campaign My Nguyen, Loryn Briscoe, Rebecca Ramirez, Emily Rios, Joselyn Castaneda-Cum, and Lucyann Rios are not your average high school students – they are role models, activists, and world-changers in the making. They came together with a shared passion for making a difference in the lives of young women and girls worldwide and in their own community through their involvement in Model Un, a simulation of the UN General Assembly in their local school, Ramona High. In Model UN, students take on ambassador roles to debate topics such as gender equality, equal access to education, and the right to live free from violence – a few of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forth by the United Nations. Renée Day, An iEARN teacher and advisor for the MUN club at Ramona High School in Riverside, California, introduced the Girl Rising project and accompanying film to her MUN group earlier this year – and they were deeply moved by what they saw. Although all six of the young women we spoke with were aware of the inequalities and injustices faced by girls around the globe, they had never been directly exposed to some of the harsh realities depicted in the film or heard firsthand accounts of what they had suffered. “It became more real and personal to us when we watched the movie,” Lucyann recounted, “That could have easily been us if we were born somewhere else.” My Nguyen, who grew up in Vietnam, wasn’t aware of the depths of the situations that girls in neighboring Cambodia – or in her home country – were facing. “It was eye-opening,” she said. “In Vietnam, I would see girls in the street selling stuff to support their families or get an education for themselves, but I didn’t fully recognize what was happening right before my eyes.” For Loryn, it was also very personal, as she shared with us and with Girl Rising in her interview: My family is from Costa Rica and some of them don’t have access to education. It didn’t dawn on me until I watched the Girl Rising film how connected I was to that issue - that my own cousins and other extended family members might be in a very different situation if they had the same opportunity for education that I have. Usually you hear about cases and law suits, but until I watched the Girl Rising film, I never heard a survivor’s perspective. Looking at girls around the world who have experienced it and lived it and were able to overcome it, we realized we wanted to include it in our event. It allowed us to connect an inspiring international campaign with a local problem.
After a virtual screening of the Girl Rising film earlier this year (shown to Ramona and Arlington High students and participants as far away as Philadelphia and Canada), My, Lucy, and Loryn had the idea to design a week-long campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking in their own community and use the film as the culminating event. “Human trafficking is a big problem in Riverside,” Rebecca explained, “but many people don’t know how to recognize trafficking or what to do about it. What I saw happening to the girls in on the film had a huge impact on me, because some of that is happening right here, too.” “Some of us know people who have been personally affected by it,” Jocelyn added, “and we wanted to do something that would have an impact.” My, Loryn, Lucy, and the rest of the Ramona Model UN club teamed up with the Human Trafficking Taskforce of Riverside for a week of seminars, presentations, and creative performances to raise awareness and benefit the local nonprofit, Million Kids, along with the UNODC’s Blue Heart Campaign. Ms. Day said of her students, The team really put together a comprehensive educational awareness campaign in partnership with Girl Rising and UNODC to highlight the need for girls rights and equal access to a quality education and to live free from violence. (SDG 4 and 5) In addition to the presentations, they partnered with the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet (VAPA) Council to coordinate a lunchtime musical and dance performance to provide a message of hope as team members highlighted the action students can take to prevent human trafficking or help those who are survivors.
The program educated participants in how to recognize human trafficking, how it affects teens in their local community, what fair trade means and why it’s important, and even how people can find out what their “slavery footprint” is through the brands they support and consume. At the end of the week, Ramona MUN students held a screening of three chapters of the Girl Rising film (Nepal, Cambodia, and Haiti), which was attended by parents, students, and members of the community. Many adults in attendance were powerfully impacted by the film and appreciative that the topic was brought into the public forum as a way to raise awareness, identify, and prevent human trafficking in their community. Some of the high school students never realized how prevalent trafficking was in their own neighborhoods, and it was a conversation starter afterward for those wondering what they could do to help. Miss Nguyen submitted her presentation to the California State Seal of Civic Engagement (as part of her Government class) and won the Social Innovation award at the RUSD Civics Showcase, in addition to earning the State Seal. Several weeks ago, MUN Secretary Generals, Lucyann and My, graduated from Ramona and are now headed into the next phase of their lives. Both young women intend to take their passion with them. Lucyann, who believes “education and knowledge are the most powerful things on earth,” plans to become a lawyer and continue in her advocacy for human rights. My will begin her studies in International Relations to prepare for a career at the United Nations and continue her work on gender equality and empowering women. Incoming Secretary General, Loryn Briscoe, is already fired up for the next school year. “Some people in my family can’t understand why I’m so focused on helping women and girls fulfill their dreams, but my mom tells me, ‘Somebody has to change the world – it might as well be you.” Thank you, Loryn, My, Lucy, Emily, Jocelyn, Lucyann, and Ms. Renée Day (and the rest of the Ramona Model UN team!) for the great work you have done and continue to do. You inspire us and give us all hope for the future.
from left to right: Emily Rios, Loryn Briscoe, My Nguyen, Lucy Rios (kneeling), Joselyn Casteneda-Cum, and Rebecca Ramirez.
iEARN-USA is an implementing partner with the U.S. State Department for the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. YES was established in 2002 by Congress as a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks as a way to create peace and understanding between students from countries with significant Muslim populations and those from the United States. YES students serve as citizen diplomats, spending an academic year with host families and attending an American high school – or for U.S. students, in select YES countries. All applicants compete for rigorous, merit-based scholarships for the costs incurred over their time abroad. YES students seek to educate others about their home country and culture while learning about their host country’s culture and values and developing important leadership skills. One such skill is foundational to the YES program – community service. While in their host country, students are required to perform at least 50 hours of community service, working side by side with people in their local area. Once they return home, YES students serve their own communities, equipped with funding from grants and the training they received during their time abroad. Many students join the YES Alumni Association and keep serving, long after their exchange experience has ended – some have even gone on to found their own aid organizations and nonprofits.
YES, SHE CAN! Community service with YES changed the course of her life
Deborah Gonkpah, a YES alumna from Liberia, was placed in the U.S. by the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) in Winchester, Indiana as a high school junior for the 2018/2019 academic year. She volunteered with a Chicago-area church to work in their children’s program as a Sunday-school helper. Along with reading and teaching them Bible stories, she taught the children African dance, which not only impacted the kids, but their parents and church leaders as well. She explained, I have always loved volunteering for a positive [cause] even up to this time, and my US community hours were not any exception. I had the privilege to work with the children’s department in my US church—Chicago Corner Church— as a Sunday school helper, where I taught them Bible stories and African choreography. I remembered my last Sunday at the church, my pastor walked up to me and he said “Deborah, you have been a joy and blessing to this church – the dances, the beautiful lappas you wore, your voice, and always smiling face, we are going to miss them; hope to see you again.” And that’s how I knew that I had bought a place in my church’s heart and made a great impact. My US church got to learn more about Liberia through dances and PowerPoint presentations which got them more interested in Africa. Serving as a Sunday school helper for the children’s department taught me a lot of good lessons; it showed me how innocent, unique, and vulnerable kids are or can be. Therefore, it triggered my passion for using my voice, experience, and abilities to protect women and children in my society.
Since her return, she hasn’t stopped using her voice, U.S. experience, and connections to foster change and break female limits and stereotypes in the male dominant society of Liberia. She has been deeply involved in voluntary initiatives and advocacy and is the founder and executive director of WeCanLiberia—a nonprofit and non-political organization that has impacted over 500 lives. Through a community-led sanitation project, they constructed a modern public latrine in Gbartala, Bong County, and with their project, Girls Go for Education, distributed school materials to 135 girls and provided scholarships to four children. Deborah’s organization led a Personal and Menstrual Hygiene Empowerment workshop for 100 girls in West Point, one of the biggest slums in Monrovia, and taught them best hygiene practices and entrepreneurial skills by teaching them how to make liquid soap. Finally, through an orphans and disabled citizens outreach, her organization is inspiring a Liberian dream of sustainable development through the Sanitation, Education and Entrepreneurship Agenda (SEE). Deborah describes her YES experience as “the beginning of the fearless, bold, tough, persistent, and resilient woman that I am today, changing the sad narratives of females and breaking barriers and bias in my country.” Students like Deborah often just need the inspiration, skills, and experiences that programs like YES provide to launch them into adult lives centered on serving others and making the world a better place to live. Thank you, Deborah, and the students and faculty at Winchester High School for helping to create a more peaceful and just world.
iEARN is one of five nonprofit recruiting organizations for the YES program and administers the programs between the U.S. and Cameroon, Liberia, and Pakistan.
“THE EASIEST WAY TO FIND YOURSELF IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS” Syed Asad Ali shares his experience with YES I still remember as if it was yesterday when I landed at Redding airport, a regular city in California. However, I was soon about to realize that nothing about this city and the people would be regular, and in fact, it was about to show me how I was not an average teenager. The school I was enrolled in was Central Valley High School and I was a junior. Although I must say that friendships in high school don’t see what grade you are in, they are made by the positive bonds one creates along the way. Life would have been the same if I was never introduced to the sweet addiction of compassion and love for others which is also known as Community Service in the United States. And let God be my witness as I smiled and shed tears whenever I helped others, as a feeling of inner satisfaction was in me when I volunteered at Senior Bingo Night or helped in my school’s Cultural Fair. Time passed by and I didn’t know that when I completed 250 hours of community service, as a reward, the Department of State presented me with the Community Service Award. The more I see it, the more I admire it, and the more I want to help people. And the gift which YES offered me is that I was able to interact and make friends with people of a different skin color than mine, people who had different ideas than mine, and different religions than mine. The curiosity inside me led me to various amazing places which opened my mind and perspective and expanded my cultural spectrum in a whole new way. A list of which may include a synagogue, a Catholic and Baptist church, a delicious Spanish restaurant, a national aquarium, Chinatown, and of course the California Capital State building, where through my efforts, I was selected to share my experiences with congressmen, the State Department, and other YES fellows from around the world. One of my fondest memories of that time was International Education Week, in which I had the opportunity to represent my fascinating culture and all the interesting knowledge about my country, and I gave presentations – not just in my high school, but to other schools to cover countless people of different age groups – telling them interesting facts about Pakistan, breaking stereotypes, and changing others views from negative to positive. If you’re wondering why they would listen to me, the answer is simple: I cooked for them! As the saying goes, “The way to win someone’s heart is through their stomach”.
I cooked my traditional dishes and wrote their names in Urdu (my language) with henna. That was the moment when I realized that I was bringing my own culture to people around me who were often misinformed, or in most cases, not informed at all about it. Answering their questions, however naïve, made me feel like I was doing my part as a global citizen and an exchange ambassador. I realized the immense potential of a YES student in changing the perceptions of his/her community here in the States and the community back home. One of my most humbling experiences was to share my journey on a very prestigious international radio program known as Voice of America. This was a truly great achievement in itself. Listeners from all over the world, especially from Pakistan, were listening to me and asking me many questions! I told everyone in Pakistan and all the listeners around the world that America or any other country is just like us. I expressed that we can eradicate these problems of misconceptions and boundaries through love, compassion, and understanding. I began to realize that I was merely a part of something much bigger than just myself and those around me. Hearing about what other YES students were doing in their host communities and the impact that they were having as a result of their efforts, really made me so proud of this program and the opportunity it had to offer. And it really did seem like the opportunities were flitting around my left, right and center. Only through community service was I able to appreciate the beauty of life, its brevity, and hence grasp on to every moment given to all of us. I had the honor of studying at Central Valley High School where the support and encouragement allowed me to join community clubs, student government, and committees. I remember the time when I was selected for a Lions Club speech competition, and there I discovered my passion for public speaking and community engagement.
One of my favorite moments as an exchange student was attending the workshop, Better Understanding for a Better World, in Baltimore. Being a part of BUBW was the best experience for an exchange student as the name speaks for itself. It was truly an adventure in which you make great bonds of love, compassion, and affection with youth ambassadors of different countries. It offered me the opportunity to learn about other cultures. It opened my eyes to the misery of other countries which I didn’t even know I faced myself. I discovered my weaknesses and strengths in a blend of diverse cultures combined under one roof to create a better and bright future. The sessions were truly eye-opening for all the students. This is not just a year in a life, but a whole new life in one year. My home country is Pakistan and the city where I live is Lahore, which in the sense of geography and local mindset, is the heart of the country with its rich culture. It is an urban city with a population of 13.5 million. With such a great number of residents, the city faces great problems of its own. When I came back, I realized my city and its people need community service more than ever. I observed the condition of underprivileged communities and my heart was torn into pieces. There was no awareness and the government was not taking any notice of the situation. I still remember my first community service activity in a middle school where my YES fellows and I taught the students personality development, a concept that they knew nothing about. From then on, I never looked back. I have been organizing my community service or as I call it, “community helping activities”, since 2015. Believe me when I tell you, these 8 years of public service have been nothing but a wonderful learning experience, where we can give back to our community in any way we can. Some of the most memorable activities include Sharing with Caring project with the pediatric patients of Punjab Institute of Cardiology Lahore, Health and Hygiene awareness, YES Spelling Bee competition, YES Alumni Toy Drive, arts and crafts projects in various schools and orphanages, Story Book Drive, Miles of Smiles project with the cancer patients of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Research Hospital, sports and physical health project and of course, Earth Day project, where we planted trees for the betterment of our environment. One of my fondest memories is the Ramadan Iftar Project, where I, along with other YES alumni, hosted 300 underprivileged kids for an Iftar dinner. An activity of this scale was the first of its kind. I was truly overwhelmed by the sheer compassion and love that made me grateful that I was able to do such projects and activities which uplift my community.
ONE NSLI-Y STUDENT’S INSPIRING STORY iEARN-USA is an implementing partner for the U.S. Department of State’s NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) program and facilitates the Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, and Korean programs. American high school students who qualify for merit-based scholarships spend either an academic school year or six weeks in the summer fully immersed in the language and culture of the participating program while living with host families and attending language classes and other activities. Though many applicants are language-learning enthusiasts, previous study in one of the NSLI-Y languages is not required – in fact, one of the primary goals of the NSLI-Y program is to spark a lifetime interest in learning other languages.. Dominic Phillips was one such student who participated in a Korean summer program I was an absolute beginner. Before NSLI-Y, I had absolutely no experience with learning Korean. Because I heard learning to read Hangeul was easy, I didn’t worry at first. I didn’t study Korean outside of the PPLP (Pre-Program Language Preparation), so I knew maybe 40 words and had no concept of grammar. As a result, I was shocked as soon as the program started. Even at the Pre-Departure Orientation, the Resident Directors spoke mostly in Korean, so there was a lot I did not understand. The situation did not improve when I landed in Korea. I couldn’t solve a single question at the language center’s placement test. Of the 50 people in my cohort, I thought I was the weakest at Korean, and I always relied on other people for help. To be honest, at that time, I genuinely regretted choosing the Korean program.
Fortunately, that feeling didn’t last long for Dominic. His host family spoke English but also encouraged his language learning by speaking to him in Korean often enough for him to pick up more and more words and phrases. He also found that, in his experience, Koreans in general were patient and helpful with his vocabulary acquisition process. Though he enjoyed his time there and made lasting friendships, six weeks of immersion doesn’t provide quite enough time or opportunity to become fluent (or even conversational) in Korean. What’s pretty amazing, however, is what happened once Dominic returned home. He recalls, As I was applying to colleges, memories of a particular day during NSLI-Y came to mind. I suddenly remembered visiting Yonsei University with some friends, and after a little bit more searching, I discovered Underwood International College. Because I had already done NSLI-Y, I had the confidence that I could live in Korea as a college student. Without NSLI-Y, I may not have applied to the prestigious and overseas colleges that I did. Since entering college, I have had the opportunity to speak Korean every day and make friends with an international group of students, which has allowed me to truly grow as a person. Now, whenever fellow foreign students need help, I can provide that. Every time I’m able to assist someone, I am reminded of all the help I received when I was a complete beginner during the program. Recently during the winter break, I got a job teaching English to low income elementary school kids. Helping to improve these kids’ English was a great honor, as well as another difficult yet rewarding challenge trying to understand their Korean. Once again, the NSLI-Y spirit of growing as a language learner and as a person through adversity and challenge lives on in me.
Domenic is one of nearly 1,000 students whose lives have been impacted significantly by attending an iEARN-implemented NSLI-Y program, in addition to more than 2,000 other direct beneficiaries: host families, students’ families, teachers, and coordinators – not to mention those in their local communities across the world. The courage, ambition, passion, and dedication demonstrated by all involved with this initiative is inspiring, and assures us that iEARN’s
underlying mission to build cultural bridges and tear down divides is being advanced with every student that paricipates in these programs.
2ND ANNUAL VIRTUAL RUN WITH THE WORLD 5K KICKS OFF On June 15th our registered runners, walkers, and crawlers began logging their times for the Run With The World 5K! This is a virtual event, so our participants are using their own course at the time and pace of their choosing. Together we are supporting the furthering of iEARN’s mission to create programming that creates a more connected, peaceful, and just world. We can’t wait to see everyone’s pictures and posts from their effort! We are proud to bring people around the world together so they can collaborate with one another through virtual classroom projects and study abroad programs. The support from our community through events like these are vital to our ability to increase our impact on students and teachers everywhere. Go to our registration page to register and run before June 30th!
On May 19th we hosted the iEARN’s sixth Virtual Project Exhibition that featured the project work from iEARN classrooms around the world. We had 25 students and nine educators from seven countries presenting on nine projects that demonstrated the moving collaboration that takes place when international students connect.
VIRTUAL PROJECT EXHIBITION
Two presentations in particular stood out. A group of students from Turkey produced and performed with their global peers a rap about the importance of water cleanliness and conservation as a result of their learning in the Water Is Life project. Another group of students from India presented on the culmination of their effort to produce iMAGZ, Making Myself Heard. This digital magazine is a collaborative effort that embodies the spirit of Ubuntu, an African philosophy that means “I am Because We Are”. The magazine is a celebration of the diversity of the classes that contributed and shares stories that might not have otherwise had a voice. We are so proud of the incredible effort all participants put into their presentations to make this another wonderful event. Each session and both of the above highlighted presentations are available on our YouTube Channel.
We are proud to announce the launch of our Summer Global Educator Professional Development series. We want to give educators the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to achieve the goal of creating empathetic and globally-minded students. Our series starts July 18-21 with the Summer PD Institute. With the theme of “How to Become a Global Educator”, this 4-day Summer Institute will use a blend of interactive virtual workshops and engaging online content to develop competence as a global educator. The institute invites educators to reconnect with their “why” and return to the classroom reinvigorated, with new skills, connections and resources. With their participation, educators will also have access to continued engagement with facilitators and fellow participants, create a personal global educator action plan, and earn a global educator digital badge upon completion. On August 17th we will be running a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Global Classroom workshop. SEL, an integral part of human development, is a process where young people apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and achieve personal and collective goals. This is more important than ever given the isolation that many students have felt as a result of remote learning and reintegration into the physical classroom. Educators will leave the workshop with concrete tips, resources, and ideas for developing students’ social, emotional, and global competence and embedding globally-focused SEL practices within their instruction. Finally, on August 31st we will be facilitating a workshop about Global Digital Citizenship. This professional development opportunity gives educators the tools to teach students about staying safe online, being respectful of others, and contributing to positive collaboration in digital environments that span the globe. We are excited to interact with and support educators around the world and continue to grow our professional development offerings. More information about each of these opportunities can be found on our website.
Will You
Support us? Can you imagine a world whereeveryone is treated equally – a world where we embrace our diversity and break down the barriers that divide us? iEARN-USA believes in that world and is striving to build it. By leveraging technology to create a global virtual hub, we are connecting young people and classrooms across the world to remove socio-economic and cultural barriers, while educating the change-makers of tomorrow. We couldn’t do the work we do without the help of generous people like you.
us.iearn.org/donate