May 22, 2024 By Megan Buhr
Hingham High School has been hosting AFS exchange students from around the world for over 50 years, but this year two very special AFS students enrolled. Ana Shirokova, from Bulgaria, and Sophie Salihen, from Malaysia, are guests of the U.S. Department of State, through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program.
The YES program was sponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy and Richard Lugar after 9/11, as a way to encourage young people from predominantly Muslim countries to connect with young people in the United States. Students are selected by their home countries for their academic accomplishments and leadership skills, and must go through a rigorous application and training process. Tens of thousands of students from about 40 countries apply for this opportunity, and the program has an acceptance rate of less than 3%.
Once in the United States, YES students are expected to be “youth ambassadors,” and participate in a variety of educational, cultural, and volunteer activities that teach them about life in the United States. Ana and Sophie have visited universities and research labs, met with state and federal government officials, and participated in a variety of volunteer activities around the South Shore. All on top of attending Hingham High School, where they are both A students, and Ana is a three season athlete!
On May 20th , Sophie presented the School Committee with a Medallion Award from the US Department of State. This Award honors Hingham’s commitment to academic and cultural enrichment, and their contribution to international diplomacy efforts. This comes only a few months after AFS awarded Hingham High the title of “Global School of the Year.” Given that one of Hingham High School’s goals is to produce global citizens, it is highly gratifying (and impressive) to be awarded both of these awards in a single year. Sophie says “Living here as an exchange student with a wonderful family and encouraging friends is a memory I will always treasure. Overall, it would be an understatement to say that my entire experience at Hingham is just amazing, and my dreams of studying in America have been fulfilled beyond measure.”
For more information about YES, please visit: https://www.yesprograms.org. AFS and the YES program are also looking for host families for next year’s group of amazing students. As you can imagine, it is a delight to host such interesting, intelligent, and personable students. And if you know an adventurous teen who loves to travel, the Department of State also offers several no-cost exchange programs for US students: for more information about them, please visit https://exchanges.state.gov/highschool/.
Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to Hingham High School for its steadfast and enduring sponsorship of student exchange programs. As a long ago beneficiary of its welcome (AFS 1957-58) Hingham was my first experience with the US and I couldn’t have felt more welcome.
It’s wonderful to see that other young people from around the world continue to experience a life changing stay in this wonderful town.
Thank you!
Danielle Toussaint