WT Sampson HS Student Awarded Scholarship

Jordynn Bell, a 10th grader at W.T. Sampson High School, has earned the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year. This highly competitive program, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the German Bundestag, is awarded to only 250 American high school students annually.

"Jordynn is an exceptional student, and she has worked very hard to be selected for this program in Germany," said Angelo Barcinas, Ph.D., Principal at W.T. Sampson High School. "Sampson does not offer an in-person German foreign language course, so Jordynn needed to complete the program through the DoDEA Virtual School. I wish her all the best as she participates in this new adventure."

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Virtual School is a fully accredited school that offers supplementary academic courses online for military-connected students.

"Jordynn has been a German student of mine for two years. She is very smart, kind, and polite. And a huge soccer fan! Jordynn has grown in leaps and bounds as a German student. Her speaking, writing, reading, and listening comprehension have all greatly improved because of her dedication and work ethic,” said Kenneth Jankowski, a language teacher with the DoDEA virtual School. “It is truly an honor and privilege to be her German teacher."

Outside of her academic achievements, Jordynn is an active community member and student-athlete, exemplifying the qualities that foreshadow continued success far into the future.

As a CBYX scholar, Jordynn will spend the academic year in Germany, living with a host family, attending a German high school, and participating in a comprehensive language and cultural program. Her year-long immersion will also include opportunities to visit the German Bundestag, meet with American and German officials, participate in intercultural seminars, and explore various cities and historical sites.

The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), the nonprofit organization facilitating the CBYX program, awards 100 scholarships annually on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to students from 18 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This initiative promotes cultural immersion and mutual understanding between the youth of the United States and Germany.