ASSIST

ASSIST Lithuania 2016/2017 Scholars

Jurate Kazickas and Valdas Adamkus with ASSIST new scholars, ASSIST Alumni in Vilnius 2016

with Dr. J. P. Kazickas and US Embassy rep. R. Rathod, Vilnius 2008

Students' interview in Vilnius with ASSIST Directors 2016

Since the 1992-1993 school year ASSIST, a program by an independent association, has been operating in Lithuania providing scholarships for Lithuania's secondary school students for their 11th grade studies in the United States. In 2003, the Kazickas Family Foundation signed an agreement with ASSIST supporting its efforts to provide life-changing opportunities for outstanding international scholars to attend and contribute to the finest American independent secondary schools to promote mutual understanding, cultural interchange, and global citizenship.

An annual competition is held for selecting six (or seven) of the academically best 10th grade students from Lithuania to spend one year in the US as exchange students. Since 2004, the KFF is in charge of the competition process in Lithuania. So far, 124 Lithuanian students have studied in the US under the auspices of ASSIST.

Upon returning to their homelands to finish high schools, students share their experiences about people, schools, culture, social aspects, education, earned in the US with their friends and communities at home. The long-term goal of ASSIST program is for such students to apply their experiences at their homelands, to contribute to future ASSIST students' opportunities and to homeland's future.

One year spent at the American Independent school - it's a tireless work of many many ASSIST people and volunteers' to find matching schools, sponsors, host families that support and care for students entire school year at their own time and expense. Independent schools in the US offer full or partial scholarships that often exceed $50,000 a year, the Kazickas Family Foundation's contribution of $21,000 each year covers three students' travel, insurance, and other personal expenses. Three additional students get funded thanks to generosity and hard work of ASSIST Lithuania alumns and their families. US Embassy in Vilnius offers two additional scholarships to students who's families have hard time paying the program fee.

To become an ASSIST scholar, go to ASSIST Lithuania website. To read more about the KFF and ASSIST, read ASSIST e-letter.