Ben Hess, left, a sophomore at Seneca Valley High School, was selected to attend the National Security Language Initiative for Youth Summer Program run by the U.S. Department of State. At right is superintendent Tracy Vitale.

While most students are taking a break from academics over the summer, Seneca Valley sophomore Ben Hess is diving in deep with an international program that is taking him to China.

Ben, 16, of Seven Fields, was selected to attend the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, or NSLI-Y, Summer Program run by the U.S. Department of State.

He'll travel to the culturally and historically rich city of Xi'an in central China at the end of June for a six-week stay with a host family while he attends classes at Northwest University's School of International Cultural Exchange.

“While most students will seek summer fun, Ben will be halfway around the world participating in a rigorous cultural experience,” said Debra McDermott, one of Ben's teachers at Seneca Valley.

The NSLI-Y program aims to increase students' Chinese language proficiency through in-class instruction, cultural presentations and learning from their host families. Students can also go into summer and yearlong programs in Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Persian and Turkish-speaking countries.

The goal is to develop students who have advanced linguistic skills and cultural understanding who can use their skills to better the world.

Ben has been preparing for his trip by getting first-hand information from students at Seneca Valley who emigrated from China. He has one friend who has helped him a lot with his conversational Chinese and given him tips on what to expect while in the country.

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