ISC-Erbil Student Selected to Participate in Young Leaders Program
Roman Kamaran, a junior at ISC-Erbil, a SABIS® member school in Kurdistan, is one of only 45 high school students from Iraq who will be heading to the U.S. for 5 weeks this summer as part of the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Project (IYLEP). IYLEP is a program run by the Meridian International Center, a U.S. NGO that works with the U.S. State Department and U.S. embassies worldwide to create lasting international partnerships through leadership and cultural exchanges. The program aims to give young Iraqis the chance to build their leadership skills and will give them the tools needed to develop their own youth-led projects for community change upon their return home.
“I am so thrilled to have been selected,” said Roman. “It is like a dream come true. Now I can show them that there are good schools in Kurdistan too!”
In order to be eligible to apply to the program, students must meet a number of criteria. Applicants must be between 15 and 17 years of age, be on track to graduate from high school by 2014 or later, and have permission from their parent or legal guardian to participate in the program if selected. Due to the large number of applications typically submitted for the program, applicants meeting these criteria are next put through a stringent selection process. Applicants must demonstrate their interest and commitment to practice social responsibility. They must demonstrate the ability to work with diverse groups of people, must show leadership potential, and have good social and communication skills as well as good academic performance. Applicants who are ultimately selected for the program must also have an energetic and positive attitude and have the ability to implement projects that benefit the applicant’s school and/or community.
“There were over 800 applicants to the program and we are very proud that Roman was one of the handful of students selected,” said Dr. Humaira Bokhari, ISC-Erbil School Director. “The program will be very beneficial to Roman himself, the entire school, and the wider community. It will raise his awareness regarding global issues and empower his interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills. We cannot wait for him to get back and share his experience with us all.”
ISC-Erbil is a member of the SABIS® School Network and implements the proven SABIS® Educational System, a comprehensive educational system with a rigorous, internationally-oriented curriculum that provides students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to succeed in an ever-changing world.
For more information about the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Project, visit www.meridian.org. To find out more about ISC-Erbil and the SABIS® Educational System, visit www.iscerbil-sabis.net and www.sabis.net.
