A Summer in Morocco: Klotz '27 Selected for Prestigious NSLI-Y Scholarship

Rising junior, Jack Klotz '27, recently experienced a life-changing journey to Morocco as a recipient of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Jack was one of just 440 high school students selected from across the United States, earning the opportunity to study Arabic through a full-immersion program in Rabat.

Jack first learned about the NSLI-Y program while attending St. Augustine Prep’s Open House, then just a curious seventh grader eager to explore his future. After hearing Arabic Teacher, Mr. Jake Snyder '13, speak about the school’s world language offerings, he told his parents that applying to NSLI-Y would be one of his goals if accepted to The Prep. That early inspiration, combined with a semester-long introduction to Arabic in eighth grade, ignited a lasting passion for the language and the cultures that speak it. Through the Prep's World Languages program, Jack was able to explore that passion through one of New Jersey’s few high school Arabic programs, an offering that continues to set the school apart.

During his time in Morocco, Jack lived with a host family, attended Arabic classes five days a week at the Amideast Center in Rabat, and participated in cultural excursions that brought classroom lessons to life. He visited the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, toured the historic Hassan Tower, and traveled to Tangier, a vibrant port city on the Strait of Gibraltar. Along the way, he immersed himself in Moroccan culture, learning how to prepare msemmen, a traditional flatbread, and even attending a lecture by a U.S. Embassy representative. These experiences allowed Jack to sharpen his language skills while gaining a deeper understanding of life outside the United States.

Reflecting on his summer, Jack shared how transformative the experience was.

Participating in this different lifestyle has helped me to broaden my perspective of the lives of others, forge new relationships, and teach me new traditions. The NSLI-Y scholarship program has allowed me to travel independently, study away from home, continue to study Arabic, embrace Moroccan culture, and learn more about our beautiful world.

At St. Augustine Prep, opportunities like this are not the exception—they are part of an academic culture that encourages students to reach for the stars. Jack’s journey from Richland to Rabat is a powerful reminder of how the right environment, coupled with a supportive faculty, can open doors to the world.

About the NSLI-Y Program

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) was launched in 2006 by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program provides merit-based scholarships for American high school students to learn less commonly taught languages in overseas immersion programs. Languages offered include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajik), Russian, and Turkish. NSLI-Y aims to foster critical language skills among U.S. youth, strengthening national security and enhancing global competitiveness. Participants live with host families, engage in structured language learning, and act as citizen ambassadors while abroad.

Jack’s successful completion of the NSLI-Y program is a reflection of the intellectual drive and personal character cultivated at St. Augustine Prep—a place where brotherhood begins, leadership is forged, and the world becomes a classroom.