Raul Babi, a student at the International Theoretical High School of Informatics in Constanta, once again manages to surprise with his ambition and outstanding results. After impressing with his passion for history and his rare ability to learn ten languages, Raul has been announced as a finalist in the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX), a prestigious scholarship project funded by the US government.
FLEX was established by the US Congress in 1992, and since then thousands of students from countries such as Romania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Poland have benefited from the opportunity to spend a year studying at an American high school while living with a host family. The main goal of the programme is to promote cultural exchange and give young people the opportunity to develop their academic and leadership skills. Romania joined the programme in 2015, and since then more than 200 Romanian high school students have studied in the US through this scholarship. Competition is fierce each year - thousands of students apply, but only a dozen or so are selected as finalists.
For Raul Babi, being a FLEX finalist is further recognition of his unique achievements. At just 16, he speaks English, Italian, Spanish, German, Greek, Armenian, Turkish, Chinese, Sanskrit, Hebrew, Chinese, Armenian, Turkish and Sanskrit. He has also won numerous prizes in national history and classical language Olympiads, and is recognised not only for his knowledge but also for his community involvement. One of the aspects that has made him one of Romania's top young people is his participation in the '100 Young People for Romania's Development' campaign.
This campaign, launched by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, aims to recognise and support the country's future elite. Without sounding like a pompous advertisement, suffice it to say that over the years the organisation has created a learning and mentoring environment for hundreds of talented children and young people.Its involvement in Raul's life has taken the form of access to educational resources, support for personal development and, above all, the young man's involvement in various national and international projects.
To be selected for FLEX, Raul went through a rigorous process that included written tests, interviews, and evaluations of extracurricular activities. Now, along with 29 other finalists from Romania, Raul will travel to the United States in August and live with a host family for ten months. During this school year, he will study in an American high school and is sure to broaden his academic and cultural horizons.
The young man is currently the president of his high school's student council and the Constanta ambassador for the Girl Up organisation, a role that demonstrates the seriousness with which he approaches social responsibility projects. Although he has received numerous scholarship offers abroad, Raul says he considers Romania "home" and wants to continue his university studies there.
His selection as a finalist in the FLEX programme is just a natural step in an exceptional academic career. Looking at his long-term goals, it is clear that we will be hearing more about Raul Babi's achievements in the years to come. And although he is going overseas, his thoughts will remain here in Romania - with his family, friends and constant supporters.
