John Rudat, a Colonie Central High School student 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 2022-2023 academic year, the AFA-USA announced. Students will be traveling from August 2022 to June 2023. CBYX is a bi-lateral exchange program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and German Bundestag (Parliament).
As a CBYX scholar, John intends to spend the year in Germany living with a host family, attending a German high school, and participating in language learning and cultural immersion training to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life. There will also be opportunities for cultural and political activities, such as a visit to the German Bundestag, meetings with American and German government officials, participation in intercultural seminars, and excursions to nearby cities, historical sites, and more.
Each year, as a U.S. Department of State partner, AFS-USA awards the fully funded CBYX scholarship to 50 high achieving high school students from 11 states, 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 program is a true public-private partnership, leveraging the contributions of host families, educational institutions, and local communities.
Not only do American students go abroad to Germany, but German students also come to live and study in the U.S. in order to promote the same level of understanding on both sides of the Atlantic. Since its inception in 1983, the program has allowed more than 27,000 students to expand their intercultural understanding, strengthen their leadership skills, and become global citizens. Many participants go on to study at top colleges and universities, and all participants become part of a global network of U.S. Department of State program alumni.