Fairfax County Public Schools said an anonymous donor is helping nineteen students study abroad this summer. It’s the first time anything like this has happened at Annandale High School.
Madison Mueller, an 11th grader, said she has never traveled overseas before.
“I am most looking forward to meeting new people and have a roommate and navigate Rome by myself but also learn about the architecture,” Mueller said.
“I looked at all of the programs and it was the one that caught my eye because we get to work with children in elementary schools,” said Mamby Traori.
Mamby is originally from Guinea and will study in Ghana.
It's all happening as part of a special partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange. Annandale High is one of only 80 schools across the United States to meet the Global Navigator School Criteria.
“I think it says that our students are diligent, persistent and open-minded and want these new experiences," said Laura Wells. "They have had to make life changes in this country and they are not afraid to go out explore the world and keep finding new things."
Meredith Hedrick and Wells are two of the teachers who inspired the students to apply for grants and were awarded a collective more than $75,000 in scholarship funding.
“It's an anonymous donor," said Hedrick. "We don’t know who this person is but we were able to get $80,000 so these are pretty expensive programs."
“I picked Mexico because I want to explore that and see [if] it will help me with my career, Ms. Wells actually pushed me to that," said one student.
The students will be traveling all over the globe this summer coming back with a new perspective to start their senior year.