We are pleased to announce Jan Kreiss as the February 2025 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) German Participant of the Month! Jan, a CBYX High School program participant from Offingen, Bavaria, Germany and placed by ASSE, is hosted by the Marshall family in Jensen, Utah.
Jan was inspired to study abroad after hearing about his teacher's experience on the CBYX program. Recognizing his need for a scholarship, Jan applied to CBYX and was delighted to be accepted. Since arriving to Utah, Jan has been proactive in finding opportunities to get involved and learn more about his host community while seeking out new friends. As a member of his school’s student Senate, Jan is connecting with his peers, organizing events and sporting activities, and bringing unique insights as an exchange student. In his German and history classes, Jan also helps provide a greater perspective when discussing German culture and historical events.
Outside of school, Jan joined the Vernal City Youth Council, where he is learning about community issues and local government. He and his peers had the opportunity to meet with local officials to learn about their roles. They also help plan and implement service projects. Jan is an active volunteer at the Golden Age Center where he helps sort and distribute donations over the holidays for seniors. Jan also enjoys hearing people’s stories and learning about American history during and after WWII from those who lived through it. Jan describes volunteer work as fun because it really allows him to get to know his community and help make it better! Since the start of his program, he has already completed 60 community service hours, and he plans to reach 100 hours by the end of his exchange.
Jan appreciates the family- and community-oriented culture in Utah and experiences these values firsthand with his host family. Although he is the only child in a single parent household back home, Jan is embracing the experience of living with his large host family. He enjoys spending quality time with them playing games, celebrating U.S. holidays, and watching his host father coach basketball.
In reflecting on his personal growth during his exchange, Jan notes, “I am much more confident now, more social, and I’ve learned how to handle significant responsibilities. I now understand topics from multiple perspectives, not just one.” He also shares, “Exchange programs are crucial for strengthening cultural exchange and mutual understanding between countries. They give people like me the opportunity to explore a different culture, share my own, and—especially in the case of [exchange programs like CBYX/PPP—provide opportunities that I would otherwise never have had."
Congratulations, Jan!