Civic Education Workshop Open to FLEX and YES Students
From AFSWiki
CIVIC EDUCATION WORKSHOP - OPEN TO FLEX AND YES STUDENTS
Below is information about this year's Civic Education Program, for which all FLEX and YES students hosted in the U.S. are eligible. All students received hard copies of this information as well as an email sent directly from American Councils. The Civic Education workshop will take place in Washington, DC (Spring 2012) and is facilitated by American Councils; exact dates to be determined. Further details regarding the workshop will be forthcoming.
Please note that the full application is due no later than Monday, November 7, 2011 at 11:59 PM. Instructions on how to apply are also included below.
If you have any questions about this, please contact the following people:
FLEX: Erin Abrams (eabrams@afs.org) YES: Sajana Blank (sblank@afs.org)
The following information was sent to FLEX and YES via email students by American Councils:
Hello FLEX/YES students,
We invite you to apply to participate in the Civic Education Program (CEW), a special one-week program in Washington, D.C., for approximately 100 FLEX students and 100 YES students currently living in the U.S. The program provides an opportunity for you to gain a better understanding of some of the key concepts and values that are an integral part of U.S. society and culture. During CEW, you would have a chance to learn firsthand about the U.S. federal system of government and other important concepts through seminar discussions, briefings, and meetings on Capitol Hill. The workshop is scheduled to take place in spring 2012. Dates are not yet finalized, and we will let you know as soon as dates are confirmed.
Included below is a letter from the U.S. Department of State outlining this invitation. Also below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the application process, as well as some tips for using the online application system.
Your Host Family Acknowledgement must be signed by a host parent and returned to American Councils:
Mail the Document to: ATTN: CivEd File Processing (#1100) American Councils for International Education 1828 L St NW Ste 1200 Washington DC 20036-5136
We look forward to receiving your Civic Education Application.
The FLEX/YES Teams - American Councils
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Regarding the Civic Education Workshop
Which students can apply for the Civic Education Workshop? Students who are currently in the U.S. participating in the following Department of State-funded programs are welcome and encouraged to apply for the Civic Education Workshop:
• Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program • Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program • America-Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange (A-SMYLE) Program
How are applications evaluated for the Civic Education Program? The criteria for selection of Civic Education students are very detailed. They are based on what the student wrote, how s/he addressed the topic, the originality and relevance of his/her ideas and how well those ideas are developed. The teacher recommendation is evaluated, as well. We encourage students to ask a teacher in their U.S. high school for a recommendation. The teacher can speak about his/her experience with the applicant as a new student at their school.
Who evaluates the essays and teacher recommendations? A group of trained volunteers recruited by American Councils evaluates each application, and they take this process very seriously. Volunteers include teachers and other educators, former diplomats and other professionals with an interest and experience in international education. Volunteering to read your Civic Education application is their way of contributing to mutual understanding between countries. Evaluation takes place in American Councils’ Washington, DC, office.
How does American Councils select “the winners”? The selection process for this program is highly competitive. Each year we receive many hundreds of applications for the workshop, and every year there are a limited number of finalist slots. The number of finalist slots is based on funding levels. While we receive many strong applications, it is not possible to extend this opportunity to all who apply. For the 2012 workshop, there will be approximately 100 FLEX, 100 YES and 15 A-SMYLE finalist slots. Students are ranked by the scores given to them by the evaluators, based on the criteria they learn about in training. Every effort is made to ensure that each country and each placement organization is represented, so the workshops are as diverse as possible.
Tips for using the online application
Getting Started: • Go the AIS Forms site (https://ais.americancouncils.org). • Follow the instructions to create a user account. • Select the CivEd application from the list by pressing the “Start” link. Remember your user name and password: When you create a user account, write down and save your user name and password, so that you are able to later go back to your saved information and continue working on the application.
Browsers: Use Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari for this site. Chrome and AOL browsers are not recommended.
Teacher recommendation
Which email address should I use for my teacher?
Ask your U.S. teacher for his or her personal email address, if possible, rather than a school email address. School servers often do not accept email from non-school email addresses.
How do I explain this to my teacher? When you get to the teacher recommendation section of the online application, you will be able to download an Adobe (PDF) document to print and give to your teacher. This document explains what the Civic Education program is and that you, the student, will be sending the teacher an electronic link to a recommendation form.
What if my teacher does not receive the email with the link for writing my recommendation? After you enter your teacher’s information, be sure to PRESS the “request teacher recommendation” button. Ask your teacher if s/he received an email from the online application system, and that s/he is able to access the online form. If your teacher does not receive the email, s/he should check his/her spam or junk email folder.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your teacher has received the notification from the application website regarding the teacher reference.
When is the teacher recommendation due? The Teacher Recommendation is due on the same day as your application - November 7, 2011. This means that you should create a user account and submit an electronic request to send the teacher recommendation to your teacher as soon as you get this letter, even if you choose to wait until November 7 to submit your application. Without a teacher recommendation, your application will be rejected.
It is your responsibility to: 1. Give your teacher plenty of TIME, at least one week, to write your recommendation and 2. Be sure that your teacher understands that the deadline to submit a recommendation on your behalf is November 7, 2011.
Can I submit my teacher’s information after I submit the rest of my application? No. You must enter your teacher’s information BEFORE you submit your application. The system will not let you access the teacher recommendation page once you have submitted your application.
Deadline: It is recommended that you submit your application at least one week in advance of the deadline to allow time to resolve any technical problems that may occur. Click “SUBMIT”: Be sure you click the SUBMIT button when you finish your application. It is on the last page of the online application. If you completed your application properly and clicked submit, you will receive an email confirming that your application was submitted. If you do not receive an email immediately, check your spam or junk mail.
