Pius X Student Selected to Study in Japan; Earns Scholarship
Pius X junior Nicholas Dean has been selected to study in Japan during the summer of 2015. As part of the Youth for Understanding (YFU) program Dean will attend a Japanese high school and live with a Japanese family. Dean has also been awarded the Japan-America Friendship Scholarship which will pay 75% of the total cost of the program and expenses. The scholarship was awarded based on Dean’s demonstration of interest and ability in the Japanese language.
Dean first had his interest in the Japanese language and culture peaked by his participation in karate. He took classes at the Lincoln Karate Clinic, and earned a second-degree black belt. After a 2012 Bright Lights summer camp with Japanese exchange students, Dean decided he wanted to study in Japan. He began teaching himself Japanese through books, flashcards, and the Internet. After spending the next year researching exchange programs, Dean and his parents chose YFU. Dean also spent the next two summers as a Bright Lights Japanese instructor which strengthened his resolve to study in Japan. In total, Dean estimates that he has amassed a solid years' worth of serious study of the Japanese language in preparation of his study experience.
The application process for the YFU program included numerous questions, essays, and information about his hobbies, activities, school, friends, strengths, goals, personality, and more. Additional requirements included submission of photos with captions, a teacher recommendation, and confirmation of his enrollment and GPA at Pius X High School. He also completed a face-to-face interview in his home with a YFU representative.
Educational exchanges for youth, families and communities are provided by YFU to advance intercultural understanding, mutual respect, and social responsibility. With partners in more than 50 countries, YFU believes that this type of immersion is the most effective means to gain skills needed to thrive in a multicultural, interconnected, and competitive global society.
After a 3-day orientation in California, Dean will leave on June 22nd for Tokyo, Japan where he will spend approximately six weeks. Dean is the son of Vince and Jennifer Ward of St. John Catholic Parish.
