Embedded Files
By Dominic DiGiulio
Here at Kenmore West, we are proud to talk about our great foreign language programs, known as LOTE (Languages Other Than English), and the accomplishments earned by the students in these programs. Kenmore West Senior Jacob Laud – a student who takes IB German – was fortunate enough to be awarded a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) spot for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. This award means that Jacob will be able to spend all of next year living in Germany and getting to experience typical German culture! As someone who is in German class with Jacob and has seen his passion for the German language, I wanted to sit down with him and hear about his upcoming exchange year and everything that was involved in the process!
(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
How did you first hear about the CBYX program, and what made you decide to apply?
I first heard about CBYX from my German teacher, who had us research it in class in my junior year, as well as from previous CBYX candidates who came in and talked to us about the program. One of the biggest reasons I applied was because of the German exchange, which I went on in the 2022-2023 school year. I wanted to see more of what Germany had to offer based on the little time I was there.
What was the most challenging part of the application for you?
Definitely the hardest part of the process is the wait to find out if you get in. The application and interview part of the process are fairly easy and at most anxiety-inducing, but the wait is absolutely awful.
How did you prepare for your interview and application?
For the application, I started focusing on my schoolwork more and getting better grades because I was so worried that I wouldn't get the scholarship. For the interview, I just winged it, and it actually worked out well. It also helped that the interview was at Kenmore West so I had the home field advantage.
What do you think made you stand out as a candidate?
Honestly, I think one major reason I was considered a candidate was because I am an IB student. Based on the past few years that our school has had students apply and get accepted, counting myself, at least 3 out of the 6 students were involved in IB; plus there are a number of IB students who got accepted this year. Outside of that, though, I believe I am a very well-rounded student who has a number of different hobbies that make me a good representative for my country.
Why are you interested in German language and culture specifically?
For German as a language, I am very interested in it because I have been learning it for six years, so I already have an advantage. In terms of German culture, I think that I'm just interested in any culture that I have not experienced. I am just a very curious person about things that I don't know and haven't experienced, or at least in this scenario, something I haven't experienced in full.
What are you most excited to experience during your time in Germany?
Definitely the time I'll spend with my host family and new friends who are a part of the program or who live in Germany. When I first traveled to Germany as a part of the exchange, I loved meeting and talking with my host family and almost joining their family, as well as meeting new random people around the town I lived in.
Are there any aspects of German culture or daily life that you’re nervous about?
I am most nervous about communication when I travel to Germany. I will admit I am not the strongest German speaker, so on a normal day I know it will be stressful for me to speak German or do anything else with the language.
What kind of research or preparation have you done before leaving?
I already know a decent amount of German history and culture from my German class so what I plan to do whenever I receive my host family is research the town they live in and places nearby that I can travel to. My plan is to find somewhere to continue pursuing theater, singing, and sports.
How are you preparing emotionally or mentally for living away from home for so long?
I feel like at this point I have recognized that I am leaving the country for a year and have accepted it, so I feel fine. It has been much more about what I am going to do without my friends or a community that I know is really going to hurt. Unfortunately, that is something I really can't control until I am in Germany, but nonetheless, I am fine right now.
What goals do you have for your exchange year—both personal and academic?
In terms of personal goals, I would like to learn more about myself and what I want to do with my life after high school, as well as better my skills in certain areas. This program has given me a great opportunity before college to really decide what I want to do, so that is definitely a main goal for me. Academically, I am just going to try and do well enough in school to pass, as well as learn the language as I learn in school.
How has Kenmore West supported you in this journey?
In terms of all the groups I am involved with in Kenmore West, they have all supported me greatly, and I am happy to have a community that I can be supported in doing this.
Are there clubs, classes, or teachers at Kenmore West who played a role in your interest in global exchange or language?
Definitely one of the biggest reasons I applied for the program was my German teacher, Herr Gabel. Not only did he promote it to me, but he also helped walk me through it and asked for updates whenever I hear things about the program. He has really helped a lot, and he is definitely the biggest reason I was accepted into the program.
How do you think this exchange experience will impact your future—college, career, or personal goals?
Yes, 100%. Because I have one more year before college, I might completely change what my major is in college because of this program, and it could be completely separate from what I plan to do currently. The point is that I could return from Germany a completely new person with new ambitions and goals, and I honestly expect to.
What advice would you give to other students at Kenmore West who might want to apply for CBYX or a similar program?
To those considering doing CBYX or any program, I believe that the most important part of the entire application process is how you present yourself. If you show that you are capable of doing a program like this, you will be accepted. I would also like to add that you should talk to Mr. Gabel because he would gladly help you with anything involved with the program, and the same can be said about any CBYX alumni from our school.
What’s one thing from Buffalo you think you’ll miss the most?
I feel like the thing I will miss the most about Buffalo is the sense of community here. Whether it be my friends or my family, I am going to miss being able to have a group of people I can fall back on, especially when I'll be living somewhere I will have almost no one to fall back on.
If you could teach your German host family one American tradition or food, what would it be?
I think it would be really fun to teach my host family about Buffalo sports. I feel like we are a very unique sports town because fans have been loyal to our big teams for years and are still loyal, which is insane considering that the Sabres have had a playoff drought for 14 years while the Bills and Bandits are both really good, but fans still stick around when the Bills weren't that strong of a team.
On behalf of the Kenmore West community, we wish Jacob the best of luck and look forward to hearing how his year abroad goes!
Page updated
Report abuse