iearn-usa

05/27/2026

Congratulations to the newest cohort of students in the Storytelling for Change program! 🎉

Over the past two months, 350 high school students from Algeria, Tunisia, and the United States connected virtually to explore and share about issues that are important to them. They gained strong skills in digital communication, media literacy, and creative problem solving.

We are so proud of everything you accomplished and grateful to the educators and facilitators who supported this journey along the way. 💙🌍

04/27/2026

This month, students from Algeria, Tunisia, and the United States in the Storytelling for Change program are diving into their stories and exploring issues they care most about.

They are learning how to:

🎙️ craft narratives
🎬 plan and create digital stories
🤝 work together online
💬 give and receive meaningful peer feedback

We’re so inspired by the ideas taking shape in their storyboards and scripts. We can’t wait to see the final projects!

The Stevens Initiative
Exchange Programs - U.S. Department of State

03/20/2026

You can Do It Yourself (DIY)! YES Alumni from Cameroon held a crafting event on February 28, 2026 in Yaounde, Cameroon. The initiative aimed to empower youth aged 16-25 with practical skills that can help them generate income through handmade items such as accessories, customized gifts, decorative objects, recycled crafts, and other marketable products.

This one-day session brought together 21 youth to learn how to make natural pineapple juice, liquid soaps, and other accessories for personal use and sale.

03/18/2026

Another cohort of Storytelling for Change is beginning on March 31! Once again, students from Algeria, Tunisia, and the United States are coming together for another terrific virtual exchange. Here are our participating U.S. schools:

Mather High School - Chicago, IL

Londonderry High School - Londonderry, NH

Horizon Science Academy - Columbus, OH

The Stevens Initiative Exchange Programs - U.S. Department of State

03/16/2026

How can you use AI in your everyday life?

YES Alumni Global Alumni from Pakistan took that question to their community with an interactive workshop on February 26–27 at the Thar Institute of Technology in Islamkot. Twenty students ages 16–20 from rural, low- to middle-income backgrounds attended, many with smartphone experience but little exposure to how AI works in practice.

The workshop gave them hands-on tools to use AI responsibly for academics and personal growth.

03/12/2026

iEARN-USA was thrilled to bring classrooms together across the world in real-time through our Meet the World exchanges this past fall. Students explored different cultures, asked meaningful questions, and shared in genuine learning moments with peers they may never have met otherwise.

Check out these two videos created by participating school Escuela Primaria Juana de Asbaje y Ramírez in Tamaulipas, Mexico, made after their Meet the World exchanges with classes in the U.S.!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFHgspuYWQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQceRe1avcc

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

03/09/2026

NSLI-Y students in South Korea and Taiwan have been busy this year!

Students made dumplings at a local restaurant in Taiwan, learned choreography from a professional K-pop dancer in South Korea, and three students crossed the finish line of their first marathon in Kaohsiung, Taiwan this January!

03/02/2026

On January 9 and 10, 2026, Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Alumni Bangladesh held a winter drive initiative. It aimed to provide critical relief by distributing blankets to low-income families in two major urban hubs: Bogura and Dhaka.

The team in Bogura successfully distributed blankets to 500 families on January 10, and the team in ​Dhaka distributed blankets to approximately 211 families on January 9. Based on an average of four members per household, the program reached approximately 2,800 individuals across both cities.

02/26/2026

This insight from a North Carolina 12th grader captures the heart of iEARN-USA. We don't just "learn with the world"; we foster the agency to address issues at home and abroad.

How are you empowering your students to be changemakers this semester?

02/24/2026

We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Ann Tollefson, a valued member of the iEARN-USA Advisory Council.

Ann dedicated her career to advancing world-language education across the country. She began as a high school French teacher, where her excellence in the classroom earned her numerous honors, including being named Wyoming Teacher of the Year. She later served as a district-level administrator and went on to become the World Language Content Specialist for the Wyoming Department of Education. Throughout her career, Ann was a national consultant in the development, implementation, and evaluation of world-language programs, helping shape language education for countless students and educators.

Her expertise, leadership, and commitment to global learning made a lasting impact on iEARN-USA and the broader education community.

We mourn her loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. Ann’s legacy in world-language education and global connection will not be forgotten.