Home

YES Alumni Chapter Updates

Lebanon

(from left to right) Alumni Imad Khaled, Ahmad Ilani, Hisham Koteich, Steve Harmanlikian, Falak Tinaoui, Hiba Chahine, Kwather Taleb, Mireille Moukarzell (speaking), and Sleiman Sleiman address the assembly.

Lebanon alumni helped to kick off another YES recruitment season this year in October at the YES program press conference and reception, held at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut. The nine members of the alumni chapter addressed the assembly, underlining the importance of the exchange experience and how their experience impacted them as students and as future leaders. Sleiman Sleiman shared what he learned as a volunteer at the Autism Academy of Learning and at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo in Ohio:

"Going to the classroom was a must for me, although it was early on Sunday when most people were still sleeping. Giving something to the community became a habit, spending a week without seeing the kids at the Autism Academy or at the mosque used to drive me crazy. It was something that I liked, something that I needed. This is what America taught me: Societies don't progress unless the people help each other. The reward is not always material, but is in the sweet taste of knowing that you did something good."

Falak Tinaoui also shared how her year abroad influenced her:

"It changed my life, affected my personality and matured my mind. I came back as a totally new person with new thoughts and new actions. I feel like I grew up more than a year as I can understand life better and I am more accepting of others. I am self confident and can push myself to do things I was scared of even thinking of doing before. I gained courage to try different activities, new foods, and in general be adventurous. Now, back in Lebanon, I have become active in my family, school, and community. The community service that I experienced in

Continue »»