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More Teenagers Planning a Summer Abroad Than Ever Before

Teenagers in Costa Rica

Philadelphia, PA (Vocus/PRWEB) April 12, 2011

Getting into college is competitive and many teens today are looking for ways to become well-rounded individuals that stand out from the pack. One way to accomplish this is by getting a life experience that will exceed the expectations for others their age. A growing number of students are looking for this experience by participating in a Teenager Summer Abroad program that exposes them to opportunities outside of the classroom to learn and gain better cultural awareness. Teenagers are able to experience life and learn about a different culture while spending time with their peers attending class, participating in activities, playing sports and going on organized excursions. Of course, a memorable experience abroad is more than just a scrapbook full of memories, because it gives the participant something special to highlight in essays and interviews when applying to college.

Another area where a teenager abroad program can be beneficial is in acquiring and improving their language skills. Fluency in second languages is a big priority among educators today. Foreign language classes are a component at most high school summer abroad programs. Studying a language abroad accelerates the understanding of the language and will help participants when they return to school in the fall. Further, their new language skills can help students qualify for AP language courses and/or prepare for CLEP exams. Most colleges will award credit for AP classes and CLEP exams to incoming freshman which can help cut on college tuition.

AmeriSpan Study Abroad is one company that offers these types of experiences to help teenagers discover life in other parts of the world in a safe and affordable way. The company offers programs throughout the world for teenagers traveling independently as well as parents and their teenagers looking to travel and study together. Parents are able to choose programs with varying degrees of supervision from full-time supervision with curfews and no unsupervised travel to independent programs for well-traveled, mature participants whose parents want their children a bit more flexibility. “Our most popular programs include the summer camps in Marbella, Spain and several programs in Costa Rica. The junior immersion program in Alajuela, Costa Rica has long been a favorite destination”, remarked Beth Lieberman, AmeriSpan’s Vice President.

Speaking about the current global climate and summer abroad programs for teenagers, AmeriSpan co-founder John Slocum said, “Despite the economy and the news emanating from the Middle East, we are receiving more applications from high school students planning to go abroad this summer than ever before. However, most are choosing Europe and Latin America and avoiding some of destinations in the news.” Indeed, many experts agree that recent global events only highlight the need for more trans-cultural experiences among today’s youth. The world continues to evolve into a more global economy where one nation’s problems rapidly become other nation’s concerns. Teens experienced in other cultures are said to be better communicators and understand the events they hear about in the media, as well.

Founded in 1993, AmeriSpan Study Abroad offers more than 100 study abroad, language-learning and volunteer programs worldwide for participants of all ages and language level. The Philadelphia-based organization has long been an innovator in the study abroad field, building its reputation by offering high quality, low cost language immersion programs. In September 2010, the company was awarded its 2nd consecutive ‘Star Award’ as the Best Agency in North America. The industry’s prestigious Star Award is voted by organizations worldwide and awarded annually.

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