DEXTER-Megan Cansfield, a 2013 graduate of Dexter High School, has won a scholarship.
 
Megan, the daughter of Barbara and Peter Cansfield, was awarded the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship, which completely covers the cost of the summer program, including domestic and international travel, tuition and related academic preparation, language testing, educational and cultural activities focused on language learning, orientations, meals and accommodations.
 
She left for China July 1 to participate in the summer program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She will study Chinese until Aug. 13.
 
Megan is staying with a host family in Shanghai and attending a local high school for language immersion classes. She will also visit the U.S. Embassy in Shanghai to meet diplomats and will serve as a citizen diplomat, while developing the skills necessary to be a leader in the global economy.
 
Launched as part of a U.S. government initiative in 2006, NSLI-Y "seeks to increase Americans' capacity to engage with native speakers of critical languages by providing formal instruction and informal language practice in an immersion environment,"according to a press release.
 
''The goals of the NSLI-Y program include sparking a life-long interest in foreign languages and cultures, and developing a corps of young Americans with the skills necessary to advance international dialogue in the private, academic or government sectors, and build upon the foundations developed through person-to-person relationships while abroad."
 
The NSLI-Y program provides merit-based scholarships for the eligible high school students to learn less commonly-taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs. NSLI-Y offers overseas study opportunities in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian and Turkish.
 
Applications for the 2015-15 programs are expected to be available at www.nsliforyouth.org in the early fall.

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