Studying abroad is a dream for students who love studying culture and other languages, but the expense of spending a school year in another country is enough to put people in debt for many years. School Year Abroad allows students interested in studying abroad to pursue that by offering financial aid and opportunities to get involved in video chats with former students.  

This program organizes groups of students to travel to different parts of the world for a school year or for a summer. 

” I was crying; I was so excited. I really couldn’t believe it,” Hollie Wright, sophomore, said.   

Wright earned the Halsey Fund Scholarship to spend her junior year in China at no cost to her family at all.  

“I never thought I would be the only one to get this,” Wright said. 

After weeks of writing scholarship-worthy papers and filing for financial aid, Wright was impatient to get a call. 

Anna Hughes, assistant director of admissions, made her decision. On March 6, she called Wright telling the Etowah student she was the only applicant in America to get this scholarship for the current year.  

“I worked really hard to get to where I am,” Wright said. 

Students chosen for the year abroad leave Aug. 28 and return the end of May 2019. This is a great opportunity to expand the students friend group and meet new people with the same interests. 

Wright has studied Chinese for two years and will continue to study it when she returns from her year abroad. 

“I am extremely proud and inspired by her,” Christine Yang, Chinese teacher, said.