20 SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDY ABROAD

The Experiment invites Houston, Texas metro area high school students to enter our Global Scholars Essay Competition. We will offer 20 merit-based scholarships this year. The top 20 essays and the winners will receive competitive merit-based scholarships of $2,000 OFF program tuition for any Experiment program summer 2019.

Scholarships can be applied toward program tuition for any of the more than 30 programs in 20-plus countries The Experiment offers. Scholarship recipients will receive a certificate of recognition from The Experiment in International Living, the leader in exchange and diplomacy programs for high school youth for 86 years.

Scholarships can be applied only to program fees. Participants will be required to purchase The Experiment’s group international airfare and pay the remaining 50% of tuition. Participants traveling to/from Mexico will travel independently from the group and purchase their own international airfare.

ESSAY PROMPTS

We live in a rapidly changing world, with massive movement and migration of people, environmental challenges, and the growing complexity of technology and global connectivity. To address the challenges that we face on local and global scales, we need a generation of leaders that can communicate ideas and take action to find solutions. The Experiment is offering scholarships in order to find high school students who want to cultivate a deeper awareness of and sensitivity to global issues in diverse communities.

The Experiment is looking for essays that are thoughtful and well written, and that fully answer both of the following prompts:

Part I: Please identify a particular global issue (e.g. climate change, immigration, racism, etc.), and describe how you will make a difference in Houston if you are selected to be one of The Experiment’s Global Leaders. (Maximum 200 words)

Part II: The scholarships will be awarded to future leaders who can thoughtfully explain how they would benefit from being an Experimenter next summer. In 300-500 words, identify what you expect to be the most challenging aspects of The Experiment for you, how you will overcome these challenges, and the areas in which you expect to grow as an individual. What leadership skills will you bring to your Experiment group (of 12-15 future leaders)? How will your participation in The Experiment change your life, help to clarify your personal lifetime objectives, or prepare you for supporting your local community?

HOW TO APPLY

1. Before Wednesday, January 9, 2019, complete the entry form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/houstonessay.

2. On Wednesday, January 23, 2019, The Experiment will announce the 20 essay scholarship recipients.

3. Before Friday, January 30, the scholarship winners will be required complete all sections of The Experiment’s online application, including the Program Selection page with your top three program choices, Applicant Profile, Short Answers, Letter of Reference, and Host Family Letter. • On the Program Selection page, answer “Yes” to the question, “Were you nominated to participate by your mentoring organization, sponsoring organization, or sending high school?” Then, choose “Houston Essay Contest,” from the picklist.

     • The Experiment’s $50 application fee is waived for essay contest submissions.

     • The contest winners should copy and paste their Houston essay into The Experiment’s online application Essay/Short Answer section.

     • The Experiment cannot guarantee your top choice program, as program availability may be limited depending on current enrollment. We will do our best to match you with one of your top three program choices.

4. The Experiment office will notify winners of their assigned Experiment program by Monday, February 11, 2019.

5. To confirm your participation, winners will be required to submit a $400 nonrefundable enrollment deposit and signed Conditions of Participation by Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at 5:00 PM EST.

6. Other confirmation materials, including passport copies and health forms, must be submitted before the published deadlines.