"I've gained so much self-assurance by taking a gap year. I navigated some difficult and confusing situations throughout my gap year that I wouldn't have encountered if I had stayed in the U.S., such as being lost on public transport, and relying on asking for directions in my limited Portuguese. My newfound self-assuredness has also benefitted my academic life. I gained the tenacity to ask questions in class and come to my professors for help, because I know that even if I ask a 'dumb' question, I've learned it's okay to not know the answers and it's okay to make mistakes." --Caroline Smith
Caroline Smith graduated from Carrboro High School and is now a freshman at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She was a 2018 Global Citizen Year Fellow in Brazil. Craig Herb is the Director of U.S. Chapter Development for Global Citizen Year, a gap year program that offers a school-year-long immersion experience in communities in Ecuador, Brazil, Senegal, and India.
Resources:
Article: "Is a Gap Year Good for Your Child's Mental Health and GPA"
Global Citizen Year: https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/
Gap Year Association: https://www.gapyearassociation.org/
AmeriCorps Programs: https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/americorps-programs
Year On: https://www.yearon.com/
