As they like to say: “If you’re going in, go all in!” And EHS sophomore Steele Jacobson is going all in with a new experience in Germany. In mid-April, Mary Johnson, East High German teacher, announced Jacobson was recently selected to participate in the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for the coming 2020-2021 school year.

“I’m very proud of Steele,” Johnson said. “And this is a great opportunity for him!”

According to CBYX, the program is intended for motivated high school students who want to experience a culture and learn a language through a full immersion experience. The students learn about German culture first-hand by living with a host family and attend a German high school. Jacobson was the only candidate from Wyoming who was selected, explained Johnson.

“I was excited when I learned that I was selected as a finalist for CBYX,” said Jacobson. “I had put a lot of time and hard work into the application process.”

The CBYX website explains the participants will gain new perspectives on global current affairs and German social, economic and political life while in Germany, as well as further improving German language skills. The students will return after approximately 10 months abroad, when they will see a greater sense of independence, empowerment, and global citizenship, according to CBYX.

“I hope to experience German culture and the German language,” Jacobson continued. “I am excited to experience life in Europe because of the different attitude of European society and the rich history available in Europe. I think one of the things I am most excited about is the idea of a less harsh winter. I might have to adjust to the different lifestyles and ways of life which exist in mainland Europe. I hope to experience as much as I can while I am in Germany.”

Considering the current world health situation, dates will be adjusted accordingly.

Initiated in 1983, CBYX strengthens ties between Germany and the United States through citizen diplomacy, according to the website. CBYX is jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, and in the United States is overseen by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Over 26,000 youth have prepared themselves for success in an increasingly global world by participating in the CBYX program.