Rush-Mabry wins scholarship

    New York,  N.Y. — Noah Rush-Mabry, a 17-year-old student at Fort Fairfield High School, has been awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Scholarship, which covers a year of study in Germany – equivalent to approximately $8,000. Noah was chosen to receive this prestigious award by AFS, a worldwide nonprofit high school student exchange organization.     While in Germany, Noah will gain firsthand experience of German life and culture by living with a host family, attending high school and participating in the community. The purpose of the scholarship program, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, is to strengthen the U.S. – German relationship through ties of friendship and understanding.
    In that spirit, Noah will serve as a “youth ambassador” from the United States and share new perspectives with his German hosts and schoolmates. Besides interacting with his community during daily life in Germany, Noah will also participate in special events, such as receptions and meetings with both German and American government officials, and cultural and touring activities. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of CBYX, so additional anniversary events will take place that Noah may attend.
    During the pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C., this September, Noah will visit his representative to Congress, Michael Michaud, and participate in a diplomacy workshop organized by the U.S. Department of State, whose Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs supports CBX.
    AFS has year, semester and summer programs in 42 countries around the world for high school students, with special programs for graduates 18-24. In addition to sending students abroad, AFS welcomes outstanding students from other countries into communities across the United States, many late this summer. To learn more about studying abroad, scholarships, how you can host an exchange student or how to become an AFS volunteer in your community, call 800-AFS-INFO or visit www.afs.org/usa.
    Noah’s parents are Andrew Mabry and Shirley Rush of Fort Fairfield. Mr. Mabry is a special education teacher at Fort Fairfield Middle/High School. Ms. Rush is an associate professor of social work at the University of Maine, Presque Isle.