American Hebrew Academy Student David Kern from Plano, Texas Spent Summer Studying in China

GREENSBORO, NC (11/15/2010)(readMedia)-- David Kern, a current senior at the American Hebrew Academy, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, was awarded with the opportunity of a lifetime when he participated in a student exchange program this past summer sponsored by the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. Kern, whose hometown is Plano, Texas, earned a merit-based scholarship to study abroad in China.

David's intrigue with international travel was sparked after spending the first trimester of his junior year, along with his classmates, on a 10-week trip with the Academy's partner, the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program. For Kern, the trip to Israel was his chance to strengthen his connection to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel. This incredible and life-changing experience, along with a growing interest in international affairs, contributed to David's excitement to pursue other global educational programs.

When a colleague of David's mother gave her an application to an international high school program funded by the US State Department, the idea of a summer studying abroad quickly became a real option. The American Field Service provides merit-based scholarships to gifted and bright youth looking for language immersion experiences. Kern likened the rigorous requisition process to "an intense application for college." Recommendations from his boarding school mentors, aided by his previous study abroad experience in Israel, helped him gain acceptance into the most competitive program of all: a summer in China. Kern recognized that the trip would jumpstart his education in international studies and would allow him to learn Mandarin Chinese in a country he referred to as "the present and future of the business world."

Kern arrived in Anshan, China; a city in the Lioning Province located in Northeast China, and was greeted by a host family who spoke almost no English. Confusion and unfamiliarity set in as Kern and 11 others from the United States were isolated in a city where Americans rarely visited, and very few people spoke English. Kern's days were spent in intensive language classes, with electives including martial arts, traditional music, Chinese culture, cooking, and calligraphy. The closest city with a synagogue was Beijing, a 13 hour train ride away. Coming from a Jewish boarding school and a recent experience in Israel to a country where Kern was one Jew out of millions was very humbling. Keeping kosher was virtually impossible; the food options were often so foreign that Kern rarely knew what he was eating. Instead, he made the best of his situation and bonded with fellow Americans on the trip, some of whom were also Jewish. They spent their weekends participating in tikkun olam (community service) projects by teaching young children English. Nights were spent talking with the other exchange students about their lives back in America. Still, Kern did not reveal his Jewish identity to his host family. With their limited knowledge of English and his inability to speak conversational Chinese, a discussion on the complex topic of religion would have been extremely hard to initiate.

Upon David's return to the United States, he expressed how thankful he was for the opportunity to live and study in another foreign country. The summer was certainly not easy; Mandarin Chinese was challenging and Anshan was full of pollution and poverty. Still, he looks forward to reapplying to the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, hoping to spend next summer in Egypt. In a thank you letter to the State Department, Kern wrote, "You truly cannot know a country or a people until you have lived their life, eaten their food, spoken their language, and walked in their streets. It has been both an honor and a rewarding experience to be of service to my country. I would like to continue to act in this capacity again… working to help others share in a similar experience as I have encountered."

Now, back at the Academy, Kern's global experiences shine through his newly directed commitment to academics and extracurricular pursuits. Abby Karp, Kern's Academic Adviser at the Academy, explained, "David learned much more than the fundamentals of Mandarin Chinese last summer; he gained a great deal of insight about the variety of human experience, and a broadened perspective on his place in the world. David also came back fired up about studying international relations and business in college – his schedule is packed to overflowing with academic courses designed to prepare him for the future he envisions." Kern is also President of the Culture Club, a student-led club that focuses on educating the Academy's student body about other world cultures.

Kern is currently applying to top colleges in the Washington, D.C. area and hopes to use his global experiences to pursue a degree in International Relations.

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About the American Hebrew Academy

The American Hebrew Academy, America's premier Jewish pluralistic college prep boarding school serves students from 28 states and 13 countries. The state-of-the-art environment fosters academic achievement and strengthens Jewish identity in a residential setting for motivated and high achieving students in grades nine through twelve. The dual curriculum, along with the aquatics center and sports complex, provides a holistic educational experience-nurturing mind, body, and soul. An internationally acclaimed faculty challenges students to excel in a rigorous program that includes Advanced Placement and Jewish studies courses. At the Academy, values and leadership skills are enriched by the culture, customs, and history of the Jewish people. Students graduate thoroughly prepared for college and ready to make a meaningful impact on the world. For more information about the Academy, please visit www.americanhebrewacademy.org.