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The 33 Beneficiaries of the 2-Year Engagement of the English Access Scholarship Program
AREAi launches the English Scholarship Access Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, managed by the local U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Nigeria.
This flag-off ceremony of the English Access Scholarship Program took place on Friday the 1st of November 2024, at Victory Baptist high School Dadin Kowa, Keffi, Nasarawa State Nigeria brought together the 33 selected young Nigerian – beneficiaries ages 13 to 20 who successfully scaled through the shortlist process and would be receiving educational support and training for the 2-year duration of program.
These students were selected across two schools namely: Victory Baptist High School, and FLOBAM British School and would not only an opportunity to study English Language, but to also learn more about other critical aspects of the U.S. History, Culture and Values, as well as critical components for successful living such as: 21st Century Skills, Digital Literacy, Climate Action, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility, Media Literacy, Civic Engagement, and Entrepreneurship.
Present also at the flag-off ceremony were the school Principals: Mr Adedeji Michael Tunde and Mrs. Florence Bamidele of Victory Baptist High School, and FLOBAM British School respectively including Parents of the beneficiaries for the Access Program in support of their students and children.
The U.S. Embassy/ Consulate team Nigeria with the AREAi Management Team and School Principals.
We were also honoured to receive at the Ceremony the team from the U.S Embassy/ Consulate, led by Brian T. Neubert, the Cultural Attache, of the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja. We also received Kathryn Bizum Suwa, the Experiential Learning/Youth Engagement Coordinator, U.S. Department of State, Adegoke Adediran, the Youth Engagement Specialist, U.S. Department of State, and Fatima Umar, the Grants Coordinator, U.S. Department of State
Brian T. Neubert, the Cultural Attache of the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy, Abuja, Nigeria.
The Cultural Attache, Brian T. Neubert expressed his profound appreciation and excitement to be a part of this journey of positive impact in empowering young students on board the English Access Scholarship Program. He stressed that this program would ultimately become instrumental in helping them contribute meaningfully to their own communities from the knowledge gleaned as a result of the experience from the Access Program. He also stated that this engagement not only paves a way for these beneficiaries to explore further studies with an American institution but also inspires them to participate in other U.S. exchange programs and becoming members of the alumni association and network as young change agents.
Edidiong Simeon, AREAi’s Country Director – Nigeria.
At this launch, AREAi’s Country Director, Nigeria, Edidiong Simeon on behalf of our Global Director, Prince Gideon Olanrewaju, also express her gratitude to the U.S. Department of State, for the great support received as an organization towards the implementation of this program. She emphasized that this program would indeed become a life-changing experience for these young students, disclosing that our founder, as well as herself have also been a beneficiaries of exchange programs that have greatly impacted and influenced their individual outcome as professionals. Hence, she enjoined the selected students to embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly, committing to participating actively during the course of the 3-month probation, as well as through-out the 2- year learning engagements. She also encouraged parents to fully support their children by allowing them to attend all training sessions, thus making the most of this the rare opportunity gained.
Group Photograph of 33 Beneficiaries of the 2-Year Engagement of the English Access Scholarship Program, the U.S. Embassy/ Consulate team Nigeria and some of their parents in attendance.
The induction of these young learners is not only a remarkable milestone for us at AREAi, but the start of an incredible journey towards becoming educated, enlightened and equipped with knowledge and skills that will ultimately transform and shape positively, their future, empowering lives and awakening the dreams of young people in Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Group Photograph of 33 Beneficiaries of the 2-Year Engagement of the English Access Scholarship Program, the U.S. Embassy/ Consulate team Nigeria and the AREAi team.