Three Scott’s Branch High School graduates and one rising senior will get the chance of a lifetime thanks to a scholarship presented to them in honor of South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District Representative.
The Council on International Educational Exchange announced last week that the students are recipients of the 2017 Clyburn Scholar Award, which honors longtime Rep. James E. Clyburn. The scholarship will allow the students to study abroad.
“The award recipients are exceptional Scott’s Branch Middle-High School students who were selected based on academic merit and eagerness to learn how to navigate a new language, connect with people from a different culture and impact global issues,” said Clarendon School District 1 Superintendent Dr. Rose Wilder in a release. “They will each receive a scholarship covering the full cost of attending the CIEE Global Navigator high school study abroad program this summer.”
Students honored from Scott’s Branch include rising senior Devin Brown, who will study language and culture in Toulouse, France; and graduates Adrianna Dingle, Sky Harvin and Skylar Harvin, all of whom will study language and culture in Santiago, Dominican Republic. A release from the CIEE did not specify when the students would attend this summer.
“With the support of Rep. Clyburn, we are creating access to a life-changing study abroad experience for these motivated students,” said CIEE President and CEO James Pellow. “Together, we recognize the important work Clarendon School District One is doing to prepare students for their choice of colleges or careers, and ultimately create capable future leaders who will make a positive impact on the world.”
Founded in 1947, the Council on International Education Exchange is the country’s oldest and largest non-profit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization, serving more than 400 colleges and universities, 1,000 high schools and 35,000 international exchange students each year. CIEE serves as a leading sponsor for the U.S. Department of State’s Exchange Visitor Program – the J-1 Visa program – supporting exchanges with more than 90 countries.
IN addition, CIEE operates 65 study centers in 44 countries, and sponsors international faculty training programs, teach-abroad programs and various specialty and custom programs for secondary, post-secondary and international students.
Pellow said the Clyburn Scholar Awards honor the longtime representative’s “support of access to high-quality public education and the benefits of student exchanges.”
“They are representative of CIEE’s efforts to increase access to study abroad by breaking down the barriers of cost, curriculum and culture,” he said. “They are part of nearly $3 million provided through CIEE’s Global Navigator Scholarship program, which is dedicated to providing access to summer study abroad experiences for high school students across the country.”
