4 weeks of Yuwa Summer School has flown by in the blink of an eye! Summer School is a much-anticipated season at Yuwa, in which students get more time to be creative, explore extracurriculars, and brush up on their academics without the stress of grades or exams. Some highlights from Yuwa Summer School 2025: 🌻Welcoming 26 new students to our school community 🐞Painting fresh murals on the school walls 🦚Secondary grades' focusing on Career Awareness and Readiness 🌺So many fun extracurriculars! Learning geometry through Origami, healthy cooking, Adivasi (tribal) Sohrai art, Dance, extrance exam prep, Basics of coding, Gender & Theatre 🌼A student-organized Appreciation Day and Celebration for Yuwa Bus Drivers and Custodian (fb)

Monika joined her Yuwa football team (the self-named Little Masters — “Masters of our own lives”) when she was only 5 years old. Despite being from a family of subsistence farmers in which a girl’s place was supposed to be at home, Monika always strived for more. 

Being a student at Yuwa School set Monika on a path to take an enormous leap last year —leaving her home in India to join the one-year Kennedy-Lugar YES Exchange, in Arizona. 
 “It’s been 7 months since I arrived in the USA, and every moment feels like a dream. Each day is full of new experiences—meeting people, trying new foods, learning the language, and adapting to the environment. I remember my first day at school when I didn’t have any friends, but now I have many.
 ‘I’ve participated in activities like cheerleading and joining the tennis team, which helped me connect with my friends. Cheerleading was tough because I was shy and not good at dancing, but now I’ve gained confidence. I’ve even overcome my fear of swimming, and though I’m not perfect, I can swim a bit now. Every day is an adventure—hiking, playing mini golf, going to basketball games, or trying new foods like Italian and Thai.

‘Some of the highlights include attending Homecoming, traveling with friends to see the Grand Canyon, experiencing my first snowfall and skiing. I also visited Biltmore, Annapolis, and downtown Baltimore, and going to Disneyland was like stepping into a fairy tale.
 ‘It’s truly wonderful to live here, where I’m not judged based on my appearance, what I wear, or how I walk. I love the freedom to make my own decisions and express my opinions about how I want to spend my days. My host parents are so loving, and there’s no pressure to do things like studying. Everything is explained in such a kind and thoughtful way.
 ‘This year, I’m most proud of how much I’ve grown personally and adapted to a completely new environment. I’ve faced many failures, but I never stopped.’
 Monika’s story is a testament to the power of stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing new possibilities. Monika has also achieved STRAIGHT A’s this year—a phenomenal accomplishment for a 16-year-old studying in her 3rd language! (fb)