Launched in 2006 as part of a multi-agency U.S. Government initiative, the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y), increases the number of young Americans with the language skills necessary to advance international dialogue, promote economic prosperity and innovation worldwide, and contribute to national security by building understanding across cultures. The NSLI-Y program provides participants a formative experience with lifelong impact, which results in substantial language proficiency gains and increased cross-cultural competency.
This summer, over 400 American high school students traveled overseas through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program to study Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish, build connections with host families and peers, and represent the diversity of the United States as citizen ambassadors. An additional 130 summer students studied Russian and Chinese online.
This dynamic summer cohort – with in-person and online programming taking place around the globe on four continents – was a significant milestone for NSLI-Y. The summer cohort featured the largest group to complete in-person programs in recent years, representing a return to the immersive experience that is a hallmark of the program.
For six-seven weeks this summer, NSLI-Y students in overseas programs attended intensive language classes and participated in cultural activities designed to deepen understanding of the history and culture of their host community—from building a yurt in Kyrgyzstan to picking tea leaves in Taiwan. NSLI-Y Indonesian participants worked with the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to create a skit showing off their Indonesian language abilities. Posted on the Embassy Instagram page, the video of the students’ performance already has over 29,000 views!
Building on the successes of summer programs, all 2022 NSLI-Y academic year programs started in-person overseas this fall— another milestone since the beginning of the pandemic.
Applications for the NSLI-Y 2023-2024 are being accepted through November 3, 2022. More information is available at www.nsliforyouth.org.
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