BERLIN CENTER — Noah Derrickson, who will be a junior in the fall at Western Reserve High School, is one of 210 American high school students to be awarded the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year.

CBYX is a bilateral exchange program co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and German Bundestag (Parliament). His scholarship was announced by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization.

As a CBYX scholar, Noah will spend the academic year in Germany living with a host family, attending a German high school, and participating in a language and cultural exchange program to gain a better understanding of German culture, language, and everyday life. Additionally, there will be the chance to visit the German Bundestag, meet with American and German government officials, participate in intercultural seminars, and explore the country through excursions to nearby cities and historical sites.

Each year, on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, CIEE awards 105 CBYX scholarships to high-achieving high school students from 23 states, Washington D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, allowing youth from a wide variety of communities to participate in a full cultural immersion experience, according to a news release. The CBYX program, which is jointly funded by the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag, was created to foster mutual understanding and strengthen ties between Germany and the U.S. through citizen diplomacy. The program is a true public‐private partnership, leveraging the contributions of host families, educational institutions, and local communities.

Not only do American students go abroad to Germany, but German students also come to live and study in the United States to promote the same level of understanding on both sides of the Atlantic. Since its inception in 1983, the CBYX program has allowed more than 30,000 participants to expand their intercultural understanding, strengthen their leadership skills and become global citizens. Many go on to study at top colleges and universities, and all participants become part of a global network of U.S. Department of State program alumni.

German language skills are not required to apply for the scholarship. To learn more about hosting an international high school exchange student coming to the Youngstown area for the 2025-26 academic year, visit www.ciee.org/host-families.