Two members of the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts Class of 2023 will be spending the summer before going off to college learning Russian in Latvia.
Madison Arenaz and Rose Brown will spend six weeks living and learning in Riga, Latvia, as part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program for Russian. The program seeks to improve participants’ Russian in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Participants develop their skills through language instruction, cultural presentations and activities, and host family stays. Students will spend approximately 20 hours per week in language classes studying Russian. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
Arenaz and Brown both took French at ASMSA with Brown earning a Seal of Biliteracy in the language in the spring of 2022. Each had their own reasons for wanting to study Russian.
“I’ve always been interested in the idea of total language immersion, but the opportunity has never really existed for any of the languages I’ve studied in the past,” Arenaz said, adding that she was unaware of the program’s summer option in addition to the full-year option. “When I found out there was a summer program, I was thrilled.
“I’ve always loved the Russian language, and coupled with the fact I’ll be attending college for journalism this fall, I thought it was a critical move for my career opportunities and for personal growth.”
Brown said ASMSA French Instructor of Excellence Bryan Ieamsang and Bret Vallun, the school’s associate dean for college counseling encouraged her to apply after learning about her passion for travel. She also had a personal connection to the language through a childhood friend.
“I chose Russian because one of my close friends who I grew up with spoke primarily Russian in her house, so I have been exposed to the language since I was around 10 years old,” Brown said. Also, of all of the countries listed for NSLI-Y, I was most interested in Latvia and Estonia. I am so lucky to have been placed in my top choice!”
The duo will leave for Washington, D.C., at the end of June where they will attend orientation sessions through the State Department. They’ll then depart for Latvia on July 1 and return to the United States on Aug. 13. They will spend the majority of their time there living with host families to immerse them in the language and culture.
Both students said they were surprised and happy to be selected through a very competitive process. Arenaz said only 14 students were accepted for the Russian summer program, making it more impressive that two ASMSA students were selected.
“I knew this program was competitive from the start, but I wasn’t quite expecting the caliber of student applying,” Arenaz said. “It’s still hard to believe that they actually picked me. My dedication and passion for learning, constant desire for new experiences and comfortability with unfamiliar situations are all factors that led me to believe I’d be a good fit for the program. To know those attributes are recognized makes me want to invest even more into those aspects of myself.”
Brown, who found out that she had been selected while she was at work at a local restaurant, said she felt fortunate to have the opportunity to study abroad.
“Being chosen to have a full scholarship to travel the world and fully immerse myself in other cultures gaining otherwise inaccessible experience means the world to me. It places me among other prestigious students, and I am so excited to be joining them all this summer,” she said.
Brown added that having programs such as NSLI-Y is important. “I believe that exchange programs like this are vital to today’s youth. With the world diversifying more and more every day, increasing linguistic and cultural knowledge is absolutely essential.”
Arenaz said having the opportunity to study a new language and culture as a young person is critical.
“There’s no time to learn a new language and to acclimate to a new culture like when you’re young and malleable,” she said. “The fact that NSLI-Y doesn’t take into account things like what school you came from or your socioeconomic status means that many deserving young people who would otherwise be unable to take intensive language lessons are now able to have this opportunity.
“This also means that the field of people utilizing these critical language skills will be significantly more diverse in background and experience than any other program, which is something that will advance our collective future.”
Arenaz said she plans to major in journalism as well as possibly political science. Having the ability to speak to others in their native language can be an important tool.
“Within the field of journalism, it’s impossible to communicate with people you can’t understand, so any language experience is incredibly important. Moreover, it’s hard to truly capture the stories of people when you don’t understand the way they live,” she said.