History

In 2003, AYUSA was awarded a major grant from the U.S. Department of State to administer an academic year program for students from predominantly Islamic countries. This initiative was a result of Congressional discussions following the events of September 11, 2001, to build bridges of understanding between the United States and the countries and cultures of the Arab world. In August 2003, the first YES participants embarked on an unprecedented exchange program. Currently, YES students reside in 56 host communities across the U.S.

Program Goals

The goal of the YES program is to engage participating youth, their teachers and classmates, and community leaders in an exchange effort that will promote increased understanding and tolerance between cultures. The YES program encourages the exchange of ideas, values, and experiences among young people by exposing these young scholars to leadership belief systems, civil society principles, and community service involvement.

Program Components

AYUSA is working in concert with four partners that together comprise a consortium. These partners include AMIDEAST (student recruitment), ASSE (partial student placement), iEARN (online education and student recruitment), and Sister Cities International (Youth Leadership Summit and placement referrals). Program enrichment activities include the Boulder Youth Leadership Summit, leadership mentoring project, community service, civics education, and diversity training. Monitoring and evaluation is the final essential program component.