Bridge Builder U.S. High Schools

CIEE honors the following U.S. high schools for the bridges they build between young people from around the world through inbound and outbound student exchanges. The counselors, language teachers, administrators, and other staff within these institutions bring the world together by supporting high school student participation in study abroad and/or welcoming international students at their U.S. high schools. By supporting intercultural exchange, these high schools are creating alumni who are open-minded, receptive to diverse cultures and viewpoints, and prepared to be the next generation of global leaders.

Austin High School

CIEE honors Austin High School in Texas for their commitment to high school study abroad and foreign language acquisition. They offer students the chance to take ASL, Arabic, French, Latin, and Spanish, offering many honors and AP language courses. Austin High School began partnering with CIEE in 2016 as one of the initial Global Navigator Partner Schools. Over the last six years, Austin High School and its teachers have encouraged more than 150 students to participate in CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad programs. 

“As educators, we want our students to know that the world is a very big place, full of opportunities and varying perspectives, but we also want our students to recognize that the world is very small, and we share so much in common with people from different cultures." -- Stacy Allen, English teacher at The Academy for Global Studies at Austin High School

Read more from Stacy and other reflections by educators on high school study abroad and international exchange.

The Beacon School

CIEE honors The Beacon School in New York for the support and encouragement they offer to their students who wish to study abroad. For the past six years, the language teachers at Beacon High School have actively motivated students to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad, resulting in more than 145 students participating in Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad programs to date. For summer 2022, a record 90 Beacon students will study abroad with CIEE!

“There is no substitute for the 'being there' experience for the Beacon students who participate in CIEE travel programs. During their time studying abroad, they are immersed in the culture of their site and inevitably have a transformative experience made even more profound after the challenges of COVID.” --Brady Smith, principal of The Beacon School

Brooklyn Technical High School

CIEE honors Brooklyn Technical High School in New York for their exemplary support of student travel and international education. They have a student travel club and over the last six years they have consistently sent large numbers of students on CIEE programs. Counting students who will travel this summer, Brooklyn Technical High School will have sent 161 students to study abroad through CIEE.

Henry Gunn High School

CIEE honors Henry Gunn High School in California for their passionate support of high school study abroad and foreign language acquisition. Gunn offers five different world languages and every student at Gunn is given support that prepares them to be global citizens. Every summer, Henry Gunn High School consistently sends more than 20 students on Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad programs. In addition, their partnership has provided pathways for CIEE to collaborate with other peers and schools.

“I am blessed to have beautiful, enriching, and dynamic relationships with people across the globe, all because of a travel abroad experience in high school.” – Liz Matchett, Spanish teacher at Henry Gunn High School

Read more from Liz and other reflections by educators on high school study abroad and international exchange.

Oak Park and River Forest High School

CIEE honors Oak Park and River Forest High School in Illinois for their consistent nurturing of student interest in study abroad. This has been one of CIEE’s most rewarding partnerships due to the exponential growth of student participation in Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad over the years. This summer, a record 65 students from Oak Park and River Forest High School will study abroad through CIEE.

“When [high school students return home from studying abroad], they are not only more proficient in the language and have a better understanding of another culture, but they are also more aware of their place in the world as global citizens.” -- Betsy Farley, French teacher at Oak Park and River Forest High School

Read more from Betsy and other reflections by educators on high school study abroad and international exchange.

Hawley High School

CIEE honors Hawley High School in Minnesota as a champion of international exchange for the care they provide the international exchange students who attend. In all that they do, faculty and staff at Hawley, focus on student success, fostering a positive environment for learning and growth.

Lawrence North High School

CIEE honors Lawrence North High School in Indiana for their excellence in hosting international students.

CIEE started placing exchange students at Lawrence North in 1994. More than 150 international exchange students have studied at Lawrence North over the years. In 2021-2022, despite the pandemic, they are home to 10 exchange students.

Faculty and staff at Lawrence North High go above and beyond to welcome exchange students and support them and their host families. They allow the students to participate in activities and athletics and recognize them as seniors where appropriate throughout the year. International students are featured in an issue of the school paper as well as a section of the yearbook. All exchange students are recognized on senior night of their sport, participate in prom, and get to walk during graduation. The counselor works with each student to set a schedule that meets CIEE requirements and the interests of the students. The students are generally placed into advanced courses and the teachers work with them at their level of understanding.

“Exchange students have enriched the lives of our students and staff throughout the years…The bonds these students made will help in the future as our world continues to become interconnected.” Brad Cangany, counselor at Lawrence North High School

Read more reflections from Lawrence North High School counselors and other educators about the power of high school study abroad and exchange.

Lee's Summit Senior High School

CIEE honors Lee's Summit Senior High School in Missouri for the impact they have had on CIEE’s High School USA program and on many students from all over the world. Lee’s Summit has graciously welcomed more than 30 CIEE international high school students in the last 10 years. School faculty and staff are supportive and reliable, consistently going the extra mile to make exchange students feel welcome in their school and community.

Manitowoc Lincoln High School

CIEE honors Manitowoc Lincoln High School in Wisconsin for the way it has nurtured international exchange students. In the last two years, they've hosted six exchange students, giving them the chance to experience life as an American teen, while enriching Manitowoc’s student body through exposure to other cultures and viewpoints.

“From athletics to academics to our school forest, our foreign exchange students get a sampling of what it's like to live in Manitowoc, WI. In return, we're so lucky to be able to learn from them. Their country, their way of life, their education/schooling, and their families/friends that they've left back home.” -- Todd Hadler, school counselor at Manitowoc Lincoln High School 

Rogue River Jr./Sr. High School

CIEE honors Rogue River Jr./Sr. High School in Oregon because they have always been willing to support as many international exchange students as CIEE can place with local host families. The town is so small that their Junior and Senior High Schools are combined into one, yet they have always welcomed CIEE High School USA exchange students with open arms and warm hearts. And students always report that they had the best experiences at this school!