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During the year of the unknown, ASSIST, connecting America’s finest schools with the world’s leading scholars, managed to continue its mission with some adjustments. Every year among the scholars from 52 countries, Lithuania is represented by six high school students who get a chance to spend their junior year at the American boarding schools. The Kazickas Family Foundation proudly sponsors tree of them.
Usually, in the month of January the Kazickas family invites ASSIST leaders, alumni and supporters to the Kazickas Family Residence in Vilnius for a friendly reception. This year they turned their screens on and shared their accomplishments and experiences via Zoom. ASSIST Board director Woody Rutter welcomed over 50 participants, current ASSIST students, a large group of the ASSIST alumni, his colleagues Joe Gould and Martin Milne, US Ambassador Anne Hall, the Kazickas Family Foundation members and many ASSIST friends.
ASSIST president Martin Milne shared the challenging but successful experience to get all the students home safely last spring and ways ASSIST engaged in a strategic planning to make necessary adjustments for school year 2020-2021. It successfully continues to bring scholar-ambassadors with diverse and unique perspectives to the member schools that are dedicated to creating inclusive communities where students are empowered to become the next generation of leaders.
ASSIST'20 scholars from Lithuania shared their unexpectedly interrupted year at the boarding schools last spring. While it caused some commotion, it still didn’t ruin the experience gained through fall and winter. Some of the highlights mentioned included friendships made, traditions and spirit of the schools, innovative and inclusive teaching and learning methods, stepping out of their comfort zone and trying out new sports and other activities, traveling and constantly investing in their future.
Current ASSIST students shared that even though the year is different than what was expected, they are making the most of it. They are glad that schools welcomed their students in-person and are applying strict COVID rules to keep them safe. While the traveling part of the ASSIST year is limited, the experience is still once in a lifetime.
Woody Rutter was excited to share that selection pool for the ASSIST 2021-2022 students is even larger than usual. Thirty two students from Lithuania were interviewed last weekend remotely and candidates will be selected in spring. Even though after many years Mr. Rutter is retiring from doing the interviews, he remains on the ASSIST board and will continue contributing to program's inspiring work.
Entire ASSIST family is enthusiastically moving forward with Marty Milne's encouragement "Stay Positive and Test Negative!"