March 15, 2019
FLEX Replaced with YES AYP Exchange
For the 2019-20 academic year the U.S. Government-sponsored Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program will be replaced as an option for 4-H families by Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, another government-sponsored program. The YES program operates very similarly to FLEX, but involves youth from different countries. 4-H in the U.S. expects to host about 20 of these students in states across the country. There are over 40 possible countries that are active in the YES program, some of which include Bosnia & Herzegovina, India, Egypt, Kosovo, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Yemen.
Applications from those students assigned to 4-H are expected by April 1. Kansas families interested in hosting a high school student next year in this new program should contact Mary Kay Munson, Academic Year Program Coordinator for Kansas, at 785-238-3631 or munson@ksbroadband.net. Approved families are allowed to choose students on a first-come basis. We expect 4-H FLEX to be offered again in 2020-21, but it is exciting to have students from new countries available for the coming year.