The Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program for High School Students is pleased to extend this opportunity to talented and dedicated young leaders from Iraq for a summer leadership program in the United States.

THREE PROGRAMS STARTING LATE JUNE - AUGUST 2012
APPLICATION DEADLINE FINAL: DECEMBER 18, 2011

A program sponsored and funded by the U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Youth Programs Division.	Administered by World Learning and Meridian International

High School Students please apply online at http://www.regonline.com/IYLEP-HS

Adult mentors please apply online at http://www.regonline.com/IYLEP-HSadult

Questions about IYLEP or the online application process: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more information about IYLEP: http://iraq.usembassy.gov/exchangesprograms.html

Program Introduction and Application Instructions:

The Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program is a four week youth leadership exchange based in the U.S. for Iraqi and American teenagers ages 15-18 and several Iraqi adults. The program aims to develop a cadre of young adults in Iraq and the United States who have a strong sense of civic responsibility, a commitment to community development, an awareness of current & global issues, strong interpersonal leadership skills, willingness to foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups in Iraq, and to promote mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between the United States and Iraq. Participants will be required to implement follow-on activities upon their return home that will help the participants stay in touch with each other and reflect on their experiences and integrate that learning into their day-to-day lives at home. An important goal of the program is that the student leaders, now empowered, will train other student leaders through student led community oriented service projects.

The goals of the program are:

1. enable the participants to understand civic participation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy;
2. develop leadership skills among high school students and adult leaders appropriate to their needs;
3. foster understanding and build relationships across ethnic, religious, and national groups; and
4. promote mutual understanding between the people of Iraq and the U.S.

What is covered?

There is no application fee for applicants.

The United States Government, in conjunction with its private partners, will pay for international transportation to and from the United States, orientations, program and visa fees and administration, site visits and seminars, lodging and meals, some cultural activities, educational materials, accident and sickness insurance, and a modest amount of pocket money. Participants will stay with volunteer host families and in conference centers.

Participants are responsible for expenses related to the application process (copying, mailing, photographs, etc.), passport fees, and spending money for souvenirs and other items in the United States.

Who is eligible to apply?

Student applicants must...
• be at least 15 years old and not more than 18 years old at the time of the exchange (birth years between (June 30, 1993-June 30, 1996);
• have a high school graduation year of 2011 or later;
• have permission from either a parent or legal guardian to participate in the four-week camp program, approximately to begin in July of 2011; and
• Citizenship and current residency in Iraq (applicants with dual U.S. citizenship will not be considered.).

Student applicants must:
• be at least 15 years old and not more than 18 years old at the time of the exchange;
• have a high school graduation year of 2012 or later;
• have permission from either a parent or legal guardian to participate in the four-week camp program, approximately to begin in July of 2012; and
• Citizenship and current residency in Iraq (applicants with dual U.S. citizenship will not be considered.).

Adult applicants must:
• be active in working with youth in either a high school or community setting;
• be willing to spend four weeks in the United States living with U.S. and Iraqi teens;
• be willing and able to meet periodically with selected students from in their city/region, during the academic year 2012-2013 to support and monitor their follow-up work; and
• be proficient in English

What are the criteria for selection?

• a demonstrated interest in and commitment to volunteer and civic activities;
• ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and tolerate the opinions of others; leadership potential;
• be proficient in English;
• good social and communication skills;
• good academic performance;
• an energetic, positive attitude; and
• ability to implement projects that benefit the applicant’s school and/or community.

• a demonstrated interest in and commitment to service in their local regions;
• demonstrated history of supporting youth activities;
• strong record in teaching and/or youth programs;
• demonstrated leadership ability;
• ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups of students and peers and tolerate the opinions of others; and
• commitment to working with youth after the project to help them implement projects.

Applicants who can answer yes to either of the following statements are ineligible to apply.

• Applicants who have been to the U.S. on a U.S. government funded exchange program; and
• Applicants who are in the process of applying for U.S. immigration.

Required Documents to be submitted with the Application

The online application will ask you to upload the following documents:
• Passport-size photo of yourself. (Your face must be visible and clear)
• Copy of the photo page of your passport. (Attached to your application by December 18, 2011 or uploaded to http://bit.ly/StudentHSDocs by January 18, 2012)
• Two Letters of Recommendation from teachers or an adult who is not related to you (uploaded directly to your application or uploaded by your professors to http://bit.ly/StudentHSDocs)
• Signed Parent/Guardian Information. (Uploaded to your application by December 18, 2011)

Selection Process

• Individuals that make it past the initial application review by our panel will be contacted for an interview in January or February 2012;
• Due to large quantity of applications received, it is not possible to inform all applicants of their status. Thus, applicants can assume that they were not chosen if they have not been contacted by the hosting organization by February 2012;
• Applicants will be assigned to a U.S. hosting organization by random selection;
• Participants who do not have passports by the application deadline of December 18, 2011, but who get them by the passport deadline of January 18, 2012, should go to http://bit.ly/StudentHSDocs, where they can upload their passports. Applications which do not have passports by January 18, 2012, will be removed from the selection process.
• Additional questions should be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NO APPLICATION MATERIALS SHOULD BE EMAILED. PLEASE UTILIZE THE REGONLINE WEBSITE FOR ACCESSING, UPLOADING, AND SUBMITTING ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.