#whyhostingmatters

A key aspect of the YES program is taking part in community service activities and volunteering in our host communities. Our YES students all completed at least 20 hours per semester, and 5 students students truly went above and beyond by completing more than 100 hours! Congrats to Meriam, Shali, Khadija, Sertaç, and Widad on this great 100+ hour accomplishment.

In total, our 8 students achieved 559.5 hours of service and impacted so many lives in their host communities in the process. What kinds of activities did our students take part in? We’ll name a few!

Ahmed (Egypt) painted a youth martial arts building.

Eid (Jordan) collected signatures and supported advocacy campaigns with his local Alzheimer’s Association.

Jonn (Malaysia) coached a youth Robotics team in their efforts to build a robot.

Our Washington, DC area students took part in a local Unity Walk together.

Khadija (Pakistan) volunteered consistently at a food pantry alongside her Local Coordinator. 

Meriam (Tunisia) assisted with after school programs and school fundraising as part of ROTC.

Sertaç (Turkey) volunteered as a librarian during a book swap and sale at his school.

Shali (Indonesia) read with elementary school students and supported their literacy development. 

Widad (Morocco) volunteered at an animal shelter.

In March, two of our YES students participated in the Workshop for Youth Leaders in English Teaching (WYLET) in Washington, DC. Widad (Morocco) and Khadija (Pakistan) joined other international students for a program that was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and implemented by American Councils. Our 2 YES students were selected from a competitive pool of applicants for their leadership skills and commitment to teaching and education. The WYLET program included school visits, teaching practice opportunities, and instructional feedback from teachers. Learn more about Widad's experience below!

Widad explored some of Washington, DC’s famous sites, including the White House, when visiting for the WYLET conference.

My WYLET Family

By: Widad Bensat (Morocco)

It is very pleasant to go through those memories again in the WYLET Workshop in Washington DC. This short period of time was associated with pleasant memories of various kinds.

During this week, I met many exchange students from different countries, who become close friends of mine. It is true that the purpose of the workshop is learning new methods of teaching English, but we learned so much more than that. I was introduced to other cultures and societies in the world : Kurdistan, Georgia, Palestine, Senegal, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Ghana, Lebanon,... and of course, I had the big opportunity to meet wonderful and talented teachers who devote their life to help others to learn English around the globe. they inspired us to start thinking of how we can develop our communities back home and help others to learn English. This workshop gave me inspiration, motivation and a huge desire to come back to my country and serve my community.

This week In Washington, DC made me fall in love with this beautiful city. The monuments, the museums and the buildings of this city capture the heart of the history and the spirit of the American society.