SYA Fund

More than a decade after my SYA year, I returned to France to celebrate my host mother’s 80th birthday and reunite with the family who has watched mine grow through visits, holiday cards and messages over the years.

On a September afternoon in Viterbo, the air is charged with anticipation. Names are called, one by one. A student steps forward, and so does a family. Strangers only seconds earlier, they meet in the middle with a hug, a kiss on both cheeks — the bacetto they had practiced minutes before — and their first photograph together. 

Faculty and staff from headquarters, SYA France, Italy and Spain gathered under the frescoes of the salone in Viterbo, Italy for the third Conference on Teaching and Learning Abroad, offering a chance for colleagues to step away from the rhythms of daily school life, reflect on their practice and strengthen the professional and personal connections that make SYA such a vibrant educational community. 

For 60 years, SYA has brought together students, faculty and host families to build lasting friendships, deepen language learning and inspire new knowledge, perspectives and appreciation for our shared global community.

Greek playwright Aeschylus coined the term “philanthropy,” meaning “love of humanity,” in the 5th century BCE. Today, philanthropy means generosity in all its forms and is often defined as giving gifts of time, talent and treasure to help make life better for other people. Together, we amplify our impact on causes that are meaningful and fuel our passion.

Did you know? Giving to the SYA Fund supports approximately 10% of SYA’s operational budget each year and helps to provide immediate use funds to deliver the SYA experience we know and love.

School trips are an essential ingredient of the SYA experience that the SYA Fund helps make possible each year. Traveling with teachers and classmates to another city or region brings history and culture to life for our students. It exposes them to the many marvels that exist in their backyard abroad.

Some say that it takes just one person to open your eyes to a new perspective. For some students, that one person is an SYA teacher. For others it is a host family member. For the luckiest of SYA students, it’s both. 

In cultures around the world, the act of gathering around a table to share a meal is deeply ingrained and cherished. It's not just about satisfying hunger; it's a ritual that binds families, friends and communities together. And at SYA, the simple act of sharing a meal transcends mere sustenance; it plays a fundamental role in deeper cultural immersion and learning opportunities for our students.

Through the SYA Capstone, students cover a wide range of fascinating topics, from the future of cheese making in Aragon to the organ transplant process in a local hospital to participating in an annual medieval flag throwing event, which SYA Italy student Reagan had the fortunate opportunity to do.

Experiential learning and fieldwork are powerful educational approaches that can significantly enhance student learning. At SYA, our curriculum takes advantage of our unique locations to create quality intercultural, place-based and educational opportunities outside the classroom and comfort zones. 

The Immersion Unit at each SYA campus has students have embracing numerous novel experiences during the first weeks of school, trying to use their language skills as much as possible and navigating gracefully the challenges that they find along the way.

SYA Capstones are a testament to the curiosity, creativity and passion of the students across our three campuses. Designed to provide SYAers with an opportunity to showcase their evolving skills, the capstone is a comprehensive project on a topic that captures their imagination and interest.

In addition to their six required courses, students at each campus have their choice of unique electives designed to enhance their local experience. Here’s a look at some of our most popular offerings.

SYA’s curriculum is our mission in action, and experiential fieldwork is at the heart of it all. When students are intentionally sent out of the classroom (and their comfort zone) and into the local community, they develop key skills and take increased ownership of their education.

From sports to music to community service, members of this year’s class have embarked on a variety of meaningful extracurriculars — some familiar and some brand new — that are putting their SYA experiences over the top.

Thanks to 2,683 people who invested in The Campaign for SYA, over $18 million was raised to support four essential school priorities – the SYA Fund, student aid, faculty support and curricular innovation. Here, we share a few stories of your dollars at work for curricular innovation.

The SYA Capstone is designed to provide students with an opportunity to showcase their evolving skills through a comprehensive project on a topic that captures their imagination and interest.

One component of SYA’s curriculum that we have developed and implemented in recent years — fieldwork — helps SYA take advantage of our unique locations to create a quality intercultural, place-based and experiential educational environment abroad.

Whether it is how masterfully they instruct class, the way they challenge students to think critically or creatively, or their dedication to thoughtfully advising and mentoring students, teachers are the central source of inspiration and guidance for our students.