The start of the school year always brings changes and challenges – new teachers, new classmates, new lessons – but for one high-school junior from West Seattle, this school year finds him in a new country, with a new family (temporarily). Boden Hammerstad‘s proud mom Joelle Hammerstad shares the announcement of his adventure:

Boden Hammerstad, a student from Seattle, has been awarded a Future Leaders Exchange Abroad (FLEX Abroad) scholarship for 2024-2025. Boden will live with a host family and study in Tbilisi, Georgia, for the academic year.

Boden is one of only 20 students selected competitively from across the United States who were selected by the U.S. Department of State to participate in the FLEX Abroad program. The merit-based award covers the full cost of an academic year abroad, providing Boden a full academic and cultural immersion experience including living with a host family in Georgia, attending a Georgian high school, and helping him develop the skills necessary to be a leader in the global community. The FLEX Abroad program is funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Through Boden’s participation in FLEX Abroad, he will be at the forefront of citizen diplomacy, serving as a “youth ambassador” in his host country, enhancing cross-cultural understanding and deepening trust by building lasting relationships with his host family and peers, and engaging in volunteer service and leadership training to help his host community. Through the FLEX Abroad experience, Boden will develop the skills to share American values, find new ways for America to compete effectively in the global marketplace, and contribute to a more peaceful world.

The FLEX program was first authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1992, as an effort to increase dialogue and mutual understanding between people of the United States and people of Eurasia. Initially created as a program for international high school students to live and study in the United States, the FLEX program was expanded in 2021 to include FLEX Abroad for American high school students to study overseas. FLEX Abroad provides opportunities for Americans to study for one academic year in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Romania, or Poland.

FLEX Abroad is administered by American Councils for International Education, an international nonprofit that strives to create access to educational opportunities for individuals and institutions across the globe. A leader in international education, academic exchange, language acquisition and assessment, and research, American Councils prepares individuals and institutions to succeed in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world. 

For more information about FLEX Abroad, visit discoverflex.org/flex-abroad – scholarship applications are open now. For more information about hosting a FLEX international exchange student, visit discoverflex.org/host-families-and-schools.

Joelle says Boden left for Georgia on September 1 and will be back in June. Next year, he’ll attend The Downtown School, where he went last year. “He didn’t have any career goals associated with international diplomacy or leadership when he heard about the program, but the whole concept really captured his imagination — so he went for it,” she explains.