by Rob Madrid | Jul 15, 2025 | Compañeros de Clase Globales, iEARN-USA News, Sponsored Programs
At Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C., English teacher Nichelle Calhoun engaged her students in both Compañeros de Clase Globales and Storytelling for Change during the 2023-24 school year. Nichelle emphasized how iEARN’s programs gave her students opportunities they don’t often get. She saw how the experience gave her students a sense of validation and visibility that isn’t always present in traditional classroom settings. It allowed them to express themselves in new ways, engage with global peers, and recognize the power of their own stories.
Nichelle used the virtual exchanges as a way to deepen her English curriculum, prompting students to reflect on their own communities and voices. She noted that these programs helped students explore who they are and feel more connected in the process.
As students engaged with their international peers, Nichelle encouraged them to consider their roles as not just members of their neighborhood or school, but as representatives of their city, their culture, and even their country. This broader lens helped her students recognize the importance of how they
communicate and listen across borders.
She also layered the academic side of the program with meaningful global context. “We would research a country through something like the CIA World Factbook, but I also told my students to listen to their exchange partners’ stories because those stories may not always match the statistics,” she explained.
“That’s what makes this powerful. Virtual exchange isn’tjust about learning the facts. It’s about understanding the real lives, the experiences, and the voices behind the facts.”
Nichelle believes this blend of inquiry and empathy builds essential skills. Through iEARN-USA, her students moved beyond textbook definitions of global citizenship-they began to live it.
iEARN-USA’s Compañeros de Clase Globales virtual program is funded by the Stevens Initiative, which is housed at the Aspen Institute and is supported by the Bezos Family Foundation. To learn more about iEARN-USA and how to join this or other virtual exchange programs, visit https://projects.us.iearn.org/.
by Rob Madrid | Jul 12, 2025 | Compañeros de Clase Globales, iEARN-USA News, Professional Development, Sponsored Programs
Lauren Giunta, an ESL and Spanish Language Teacher at Williamsburg Prep in Brooklyn, created an entire elective class around iEARN’s Compañeros de Clase Globales (CCG) program. While the exchange itself lasted nine weeks, Lauren designed a full-year “Virtual Foreign Exchange” course for her 11th and 12th-grade students. “I created an elective called Virtual Foreign Exchange. It’s a new course in New York City,” she said.
Lauren tailored the curriculum to support students working toward the New York State Seal of Biliteracy, using cultural iceberg activities and research projects to help students explore identity, language, and heritage. Projects ranged from Puerto Rican identity and gentrification to European beauty standards in Dominican culture. Students conducted original research, used native-language sources, and developed rigorous academic papers based on their interests and cultural background.
The CCG program provided the foundation. “It created a foundation and a zone of partnership … a zone of taking risks,” Lauren said. “It created a class community of cultural rigor, cultural competency, and engagement with the work.”
She also emphasized the value of the professional development she received through iEARN -USA, including the summer training in Guatemala. “Public school teachers really don’t get these types of opportunities. Most of us are lifelong learners who really enjoy learning, traveling, and language.”
Lauren’s students not only completed academic projects but also explored personal and cultural identity. “It allowed them to explore, in an academic and social-emotional way, what it means for them, how they’re different and what they have in common with each other,” she said.
The impact extended beyond the classroom. Lauren received enthusiastic feedback from both parents and school administrators who were impressed by the depth and creativity of the student work. One standout project came from a senior who explored the historical and cultural connections between churches in Puebla, Mexico, and New York. She interviewed her grandmother, who grew up in a small town in Puebla, as part of her research. “She just did something that I don’t even know if a journalist has really ever written,” Lauren noted. The project helped the student connect her family history to her community in New York in a powerful, original way.
iEARN-USA’s Compañeros de Clase Globales virtual program is funded by the Stevens Initiative, which is housed at the Aspen Institute and is supported by the Bezos Family Foundation. To learn more about iEARN-USA and how to join this or other virtual exchange programs, visit https://projects.us.iearn.org/.
by Rob Madrid | Feb 6, 2025 | Compañeros de Clase Globales, iEARN-USA News, Sponsored Programs
iEARN-USA’s Compañeros de Clase Globales Welcomes Students from Oaxaca Through New Stevens Initiative Partnership
iEARN-USA is proud to announce that Compañeros de Clase Globales, our dynamic virtual exchange program implemented with iEARN Mexico, will now include students from the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, as part of a new partnership between The Stevens Initiative at the Aspen Institute and the Ministry of Education of Oaxaca. This collaboration marks an exciting step forward in expanding access to transformative virtual exchange opportunities for young people in Mexico, the United States, and beyond.
The partnership, formalized through a Letter of Intent between the Stevens Initiative and the Ministry of Education of Oaxaca, underscores a shared commitment to fostering global leadership through virtual exchange. This initiative will enable students from Oaxaca to connect with their peers across the United States, engaging in meaningful cross-cultural collaboration and dialogue.
Expanding Virtual Exchange Opportunities
Through this partnership, 250 high school students in Oaxaca will participate in virtual exchange programs in spring 2025, including Compañeros de Clase Globales, a program that fosters language learning and mutual understanding among Spanish-speaking classrooms. The program integrates real-world projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), helping students explore topics such as robotics, environmental sustainability, and cultural exchange through literature.
Compañeros de Clase Globales provides an opportunity for students in Oaxaca to collaborate with peers in U.S. cities such as Bozeman, MT; Henderson, NC; Nashville, TN; Oconomowoc, WI; Santa Fe, NM; Riverside, CA; and Washington, DC. This exchange enables students to engage in global conversations, develop their language skills, and work on solutions to shared challenges.
A Commitment to Global Learning
The partnership was announced in Oaxaca in a ceremony chaired by Delfina Guzmán, Secretary of Education of the State of Oaxaca, and Christine Shiau, Executive Director of the Stevens Initiative. Both leaders emphasized the importance of international virtual exchange programs in preparing young people to become future leaders and problem solvers in an increasingly interconnected world.
“The Stevens Initiative is proud to support the expansion of opportunities for young people in Oaxaca and the United States to engage in transformative cross-cultural exchanges, preparing them to lead a more peaceful and prosperous world,” said Christine Shiau. “This partnership represents a shared commitment to building bridges of understanding and opportunity for rising generations of leaders.”
In addition to Compañeros de Clase Globales, the partnership will also support Global Nomads Group’s Building Understanding Through Language Learning, which promotes empathy and awareness through language learning by connecting people in Mexico and the United States. Students also join live conversations with their international peers where they can interact with each other, share aspects of their cultures, and practice English or Spanish with native speakers as they discuss the curriculum.
iEARN-USA’s Compañeros de Clase Globales virtual program is funded by the Stevens Initiative, which is housed at the Aspen Institute and is supported by the Bezos Family Foundation. To learn more about iEARN-USA and how to join this or other virtual exchange programs, visit https://projects.us.iearn.org/.
Looking Ahead
As iEARN-USA continues to expand its reach and impact through virtual exchange, we are honored to be part of this initiative that connects students across borders and empowers them with the tools to collaborate on global issues. This partnership is an important milestone in our mission to foster mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation among young people worldwide.
For more details on the Stevens Initiative’s partnership with the State of Oaxaca, visit the official announcement here.
by [email protected] | Oct 8, 2021 | News, Sponsored Programs
Applications are now open for the 2022-23 NSLI-Y summer and academic year programs!
The State Department’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is a merit-based scholarship for high school students to study a critical language abroad for a summer or an academic year. NSLI-Y offers programs for Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, Turkish, and Indonesian. Program participants are immersed in the language and culture of their host country, giving them formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures. Participants receive intensive language instruction, may live with a host family for all or part of the program, and participate in a variety of cultural activities.
As a program partner, iEARN implements NSLI-Y programs in India, Morocco, South Korea, and Taiwan. Please join us and encourage current U.S. high school students (ages 15 to 18) to submit an application for the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world language and culture through the NSLI-Y program.
Find more information and the application on the NSLI-Y program website. The deadline to apply for 2022-2023 summer and academic year programs is November 9 at 4 PM ET.
To learn more about the program from a participant perspective, you may view alumni-produced stories, photos, and videos on the NSLI-Y Interactive Website.
by [email protected] | Aug 28, 2020 | News, Sponsored Programs
In collaboration with the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, iEARN-USA hosted a virtual Crip Camp Workshop, from August 17-21 in honor of the Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary. 2020 marks 30 years since the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. This landmark legislation prohibits discrimination based on disability and increases the opportunities and access for persons with disabilities. The law was written and passed to ensure that persons with disabilities have the same rights as other Americans.
The Crip Camp Workshop, Part I, centered around Netflix’s 2020 Crip Camp documentary produced by the Obama’s Higher Ground Production and winner of the 2020 Audience Award at Sundance. The film narrates the story of youth at a disability camp who became activists for the disability rights movement and fought for accessibility legislation. The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in large part because of activists like the ones depicted in the film, Crip Camp.
The Crip Camp Workshop included a series of events centered around the film including a film discussion, keynote panel, and fireside chats with experts in the field of disability rights and advocacy. More than 450 participants from 72 countries registered for the workshop.
The workshop kicked off with the Crip Camp Cinema Circle moderated by iEARN-USA. Participants watched various clips from Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution and discussed central themes of the film and the connections between challenges presented in the film and the issues facing the disability community today and in their own community. For example, one of the major themes of Crip Camp is the fight to make more spaces in the United States more broadly accessible. Participants discussed whether they have encountered a space that was inaccessible to them or someone else. With such a diverse range of participants and countries represented, the conversation was eye opening in terms of differences and similarities.
One of the most anticipated sessions of the workshop was the Keynote Speaker Panel, held on August 18. The YES program was delighted to introduce some of the leading disability rights advocates and civil rights leaders as panelists. Judy Heumann, an American disability rights activist and key figure in the film Crip Camp; Ann Cody, who oversees the International Disability Rights portfolio at the U.S. Department of State; and Andraéa LaVant, co-impact producer of Crip Camp and founder of LaVant Consulting Co. all joined the panel to discuss the grassroot activism that is so prominently featured in the film and how more communities and groups can encourage civic engagement and activism. Judy Heumann and Ann Cody shared about their initiatives such as the International Disability Rights portofolio at the U.S. Department of State and the World Institute on Disability. Through their experiences, Heumann and Cody shed light on where the United States stands in the global fight for accessible spaces. The panelists also spoke in detail about intersectionality for people with disabilities. Participants from around the world were able to submit their questions to the panelists, and hear advice, wisdom, and encouragement from the panel. Watch the recording of the video below!
On Thursday, August 27, iEARN educator JoEllen Delamatta led a session on “Crip Camp and My Community.†This session, which was based on the iEARN framework, guided participants to take a critical look at their own society, consider disability rights in their communities and country, and connect with peers over similarities and differences. Participants connected with other youth about the challenges and issues facing the disability community and drew similarities between scenes in Crip Camp and their own societies. The participants discussed the obstacles that disabled students face in their communities and how they can work towards making schools more accessible and inclusive. Together, the participants brainstormed a variety of project ideas that they could implement in their communities to help advocate for people with disabilities.
Later in the week, participants had the opportunity to connect with Andraéa LaVant and Mobility International USA during fireside chats on self-advocacy and global disability rights. These sessions served as an opportunity for workshop attendees to engage directly with the experts, exchange dialogue with other workshop attendees, and share about their own communities and contexts.
by [email protected] | Sep 18, 2019 | News, Sponsored Programs
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program is a merit-based scholarship for high school students to study a foreign language abroad for a summer or an academic-year. NSLI-Y programs begin in Summer 2020 for Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish languages. Each scholarship covers expenses for program fees, including pre-departure and arrival orientations, secondary health insurance, and ensure careful placement with host families. Participants immerse themselves in the cultural life of the host country, giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures.
As a program partner, iEARN administers language programs in India, Korea, Morocco, and Taiwan. Please join us and encourage current American high school students (ages 15 to 18) to submit an application for a chance to experience a new language and culture through the NSLI-Y program.
The application and more information is available at www.nsliforyouth.org. The deadline for 2020-2021 NSLI-Y programs is October 30, 2019 at 4PM Eastern Time.
Apply for NSLI-Y
How to Apply
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The Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, provides American high school students with scholarships to study abroad in countries with significant Muslim populations. Each scholarship covers expenses for program fees, including pre-departure and arrival orientations in Washington DC, secondary health insurance, and ensure careful placement with host families.
YES Abroad scholars in 2020-2021 will be placed in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand or Turkey.
YES Abroad scholars live with host families, attend local high schools, participate in enrichment activities, acquire leadership skills, and help educate others about American culture while learning about their host country’s culture.
The application and more information is available at www.yes-abroad.org. Applications for 2020-2021 close on December 3, 2019 at 11:59PM ET.
Apply for YES Abroad
https://www.yes-abroad.org/how-to-apply
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