WASHINGTON CHAPTER NEWSLETTER Spring 2013

THE CLASS OF 2013!

Spring Gathering: The DC ASSIST Scholars make us proud The Washington ASSIST Chapter’s Class of 2013 had an opportunity to reflect on their year here before an appreciative audience at the Spring Gathering at Maret School, DC, on May 5, 2013. This year there are 20 Scholars attending the 15 Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia independent schools participating in the ASSIST Program. Those Scholars brought the cultural perspectives of nine countries – Australia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Moldova, Palestine, and Vietnam – not to mention their own personal energy, curiosity and courage, to share with their schools and their host families in ways that have enriched the lives of everyone they encountered. But what did they get from their year here? Six of the 20 Washington Chapter students were asked to tell some of their stories from the year. Here are some of their thoughts: They developed a sense of independence:

• Myla Swallow, an Australian Scholar who spent this year at Episcopal High School, VA, felt that she was given the freedom (and responsibility) to explore what she loved to do. To her surprise, she discovered that she loved rowing – and she has some talent for it! Myla felt encouraged and supported by her teachers at Episcopal.

• Leonie Ziehm, a German Scholar at St. Timothy’s School, MD, has learned to speak out, to fight for her opinion and those of others. Being on her own here, she has learned more about herself, and that has given her confidence.

“I am Leonie Ziehm. I am from Germany and I am experiencing the most interesting and important year of my life.”

• Sioned Vaughan, an Australian Scholar at Bullis School, MD, remembers the ASSIST

orientation in August, at which she was encouraged to join “everything!” and become actively involved in her school. That advice paid off, she said, giving her a sense of confidence and independence as the year unfolded.

• Irina Fala, a Moldovan Scholar at Potomac School, VA, is grateful for the help, motivation and care she received from the Potomac faculty, giving her the opportunity to become appreciative of the diversity that exists in the world, and more mature and confident as a result.

They developed a sense of purpose:

• Irina goes home feeling more accountable for the world around her, not just for herself. She is committed to help make the world a better place.

• Leonie and Sioned expressed a similar eagerness to DO something with their lives, to share their knowledge

• Annalena Kill, a German Scholar at Madeira School, VA, was particularly affected by her participation in Madeira’s co-curricular program, an afternoon of community service that is built into the school schedule each week. Annalena was assigned to work with Turner Elementary School in Southeast Washington DC. She observed the

challenges to both teachers and children in the school to make learning happen, and she was proud of the progress “her” class made during the course of the year. Annalena will take that experience with her as she moves forward in her life

They developed a sense of community:

• Shengming Wang, a Chinese Scholar at St. Alban’s School, DC, was grateful for the friendship he found at his boys’ school. Noting that most Chinese children of his generation have no siblings, Shengming enjoyed the openness of the communications with his dorm mates. “It was like being with family.” he said. Both boys and the girls mentioned the prevalence and importance of sports in American independent schools, and the opportunity to create community with their teams.

St. Timothy’s Scholars Nicole Misch (Germany), Teresa Bilanova (Czech Republic), and Paula Dewes (Germany) at the Spring Gathering

The program closed with a reflection by Chris Kojm who, with his wife Ann Misback and family, was host to an ASSIST student at Holton-Arms School, MD. Chris noted that their interest in being a host family began with their own experience as strangers in Germany and the care they received while living there. Outreach breeds outreach – they were inspired to provide the same kind of welcome to Caro Fretschner, a German student at Holton-Arms School in 2007-08. Now, Caro remains a part of their lives. The visits continue between the two families and Ann’s and Chris’s daughter is now on a course of cultural exploration of her own, pursuing graduate work abroad. “ASSIST changes lives,” says Bob Stanley, President of ASSIST. “Everyone is changed – Scholars, teachers, peers, host families, schools.” And the feast goes on… During the next academic year, 2013-14, participating ASSIST schools in the Washington/Baltimore/Richmond area will have the privilege of hosting 21 new scholars from nine countries – Australia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Germany, Palestine, Spain, Sweden, and Vietnam. Thirteen area schools will participate in the ASSIST Program next year:

Episcopal High School, VA

Key School, MD

Madeira School, VA

Maret School, DC

National Cathedral School, DC

Potomac School, VA

St. Alban’s School, DC

St. Catherine’s School, VA

St. Christopher’s School, VA

St. Timothy’s School, MD

Sidwell Friends School, DC

Washington International School,

DC

…and we are pleased that a new school joins the Washington DC chapter of ASSIST: Garrison Forest School, MD, which will host its first ASSIST scholar this year. Welcome! Nationally, the ASSIST Program looks forward to another healthy year. There will be 164 scholars attending 87 independent schools in the United States. The students will come from 22 countries, and will include our first ASSIST Scholar from Somaliland. Says ASSIST Vice President Marty Milne, “ASSIST’s strength continues to be the diversity we provide to our member schools, and the quality of the Scholars we bring to the schools through our selective recruitment process.” The quality of our Scholars is indeed astonishing, and their courage and willingness to go so far away from home for the adventure that is the ASSIST year in the U.S., move us, year after year. …A little bit more about next year – the 45th Anniversary of ASSIST: It all started with a German exchange, so it seems particularly appropriate that ASSIST will be kicking off its 45th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, September 14, 2013, with a cruise on the Rhine River, commencing in the German city of Düsseldorf. Please stay tuned for more information about this event on the ASSIST website. More to come…

ASSIST/CSIS Forum Challenges DC ASSIST Scholars to Look at the Future For the second year, ASSIST Scholars in the Washington DC Chapter had an opportunity to discuss with policy experts some of the challenges the world will face during the students’ lifetimes. The discussions took place at an extraordinary all-day forum at the bipartisan policy think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in Washington, D.C. CSIS, an organization of 220 staff and a large network of scholars, “conducts research and analysis and develops policy initiatives that look to the future and anticipate change.” The all-day seminar for the DC Chapter ASSIST students (and an American classmate from each school) looked at “Seven Revolutions: Population, Resource Management, Technology, Information, Economics, Security and Governance.”

Scott Conklin, director of admissions and ASSIST Representative at Episcopal High School, VA, who attended the forum with ASSIST Scholar Myla Swallow, reports that the students were both stimulated by the forum and impressive in their grasp of the weighty world issues under consideration and their willingness to address questions to the policy makers in the room. After a morning lecture and small groups organized to address each “revolution,” the group broke for lunch, when school faculty members met with CSIS leaders to learn more

about the organization and the resources available to schools, while the students met with younger CSIS staff to learn about careers in public policy. In the afternoon, students heard a presentation from Josh Marcuse, from Young Professionals for Foreign Service, who spoke about leadership challenges for the millenial generation. Says Richard Hall, President of the ASSIST Board of Directors, “ASSIST profited from its world-renowned think-tank in discussions of critical importance. The points of view of ASSIST scholars from around the world, along with the students and faculty from the ASSIST schools, were the basis for a fascinating exchange of ideas which enriched the understanding of the participants on complicated issues confronting their world.”

An ASSIST Scholar poses a question to the CSIS speaker at the ASSIST/CSIS forum in February.

Profile: Sebastian Lederer ‘03 Sebastian Lederer was introduced to the city of Washington, DC when he accompanied his host family on a college trip to Washington ten years ago. Lucky us, because he fell in love with the city, found his way back here, and is now the alumni representative for the Washington Chapter of ASSIST, organizing both alumni and student events with energy and enthusiasm.

Sebastian, who attended Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida as an ASSIST Scholar in 2002-03, comes to us from a small village in the Black Forest of Germany, “a quaint town,” he says, “of about 150 people.” He is, in fact, one of a triumvirate of Lederers who emerged from the forest (!) to be ASSIST Scholars – his sister Christina ’94 attended University Liggett School, MI, and his brother Jonathan is currently a Scholar at Stony Brook School, NY. After finishing his Abitur in Germany, Sebastian returned to the U.S. for college, attending Notre Dame University, IN, a college that was particularly appealing to him because it offered a Washington Program, which brought him here for his junior year. An economist, Sebastian now works for the accounting firm KPMG in the economic valuation practice. He and his colleagues evaluate businesses and their assets in preparation for mergers and acquisitions. In his free time this year, Sebastian led a group of our ASSIST Scholars on a ropes course at Madeira School, VA. This popular student outing challenges students to meet their fears by climbing a variety of rope structures, and by running a zipline through the Virginia woodlands. Sebastian says, “It’s a team-building day and comes just at the right time for the Scholars, two or three months into their stay here, when they are anxious to see each other again.” In April, Sebastian helped to organize an alumni and ASSIST community gathering at the home of the Bertram von Moltke, Cultural Attaché of the German Embassy in Washington, and his wife Anne, who graciously hosted an elegant reception for ASSIST in Washington, to the delight of everyone who attended.

Meanwhile, Sebastian agrees that the ASSIST experience changes the lives of everyone involved. His parents have become friends with his ASSIST host family in Florida, his sister was in her host sister’s wedding, and even his first American girlfriend is now living in Germany and pursuing a graduate degree in a German university. What’s next for Sebastian? With his ASSIST experience, he feels ready for an adventure. Perhaps his next job will be in a completely different culture, perhaps an Asian city. “I’ve witnessed myself being able to put myself in another culture once, so I know I can do it again.”

Sebastian, third from right, led a group of six current ASSIST Scholars (all girls!) on a ropes course at Madeira School, VA, in November.

Bob Stanley, President of ASSIST, center, with Anne and Bertram von Moltke, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Germany, at the ASSIST reception in April

Think about the next generation of ASSIST Scholars: Help us reach a new plateau of support! We invite you to join a worldwide family of generous donors who believe in the ASSIST mission and who will help us serve our Scholars and schools by contributing to the Annual Fund. Your gift enables ASSIST to support today's Scholars and continues as they become tomorrow's leaders. You may conveniently make a donation on-line via our secure server:

ASSIST P.O. Box 969, Suite 217, Suffield Village 68 Bridge Street Suffield, Connecticut 06078, tel: 860-668-5706 fax: 860-668-5726 e-mail: assist@assist-inc.org www.assist-inc.org