Champion of Youth Award

The interactive language program conducted between Uni High School students and students at Lycée Charlemagne, Thionville, France, has been chosen by the Illinois Sister Cities Association to receive their “Champion of Youth” Award in 2022.

The virtual interactions between the advanced French language class at Uni High School, under the direction of Ms. Lynda Lopez, and students working to improve their English language skills at the Lycée Charlemagne, in Thionville, France, under the instruction of Mme Marie-Ange Andrieux, embody the goals of Sister Cities International’s youth education and engagement programs—to “promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation—one individual, one community at a time.” 

The variety and quality of the virtual exchanges conducted by the students during the 2021-22 school year show a high level of creativity and resourcefulness in a time of Covid-19 restrictions. With the help of Ms. Lopez, the student’s activities were summarized and submitted for consideration by the Urbana Sister Cities Committee. The announcement of the Award was made during the Illinois Sister Cities Association’s annual meeting held in Richton Park, Illinois.

Chairman Dennis Roberts made a public announcement of this Award during the meeting of Urbana’s Committee of the Whole on May 16, 2022. Members of Uni High School’s French language class were invited to attend. This honor will also be made during the Illinois Municipal League annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, September 17, 2022. 

To read more, please click here. Additionally, go here to read more about the Welcome Illinois Sister Cities Association.