Mansfield student selected for study abroad program in Kazakhstan

MANSFIELD — Hadley Hoovler didn’t know any Russian when she began an intensive immersion program four weeks ago.

Now, she’s preparing to spend her junior year of high school in Kazakhstan.

Hadley, a student at Mansfield Senior High School, has been offered a scholarship to study abroad through the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX). The scholarship covers tuition, travel, activities in the country and other expenses.

FLEX is a highly competitive, merit-based scholarship program funded by the U.S. State Department whose purpose is to promote peace and mutual cultural understanding.

During her year abroad, Hadley will stay with a Kazakhstani host family and attend a Kazakhstani high school, where she said classes will mostly be taught in Russian.

She began learning Russian earlier this summer during a two-week immersion program at the University of Cincinnati.

The program was sponsored by STARTALK, a federal grant program managed and funded by the National Security Agency. The program promotes foreign language learning for American students in languages deemed “critical” to national security, like Arabic and Russian.

“This opportunity has allowed me to explore international diplomacy and learning Russian language and culture, and it will hopefully help me develop skills that make me more adaptable and better suited to future career opportunities,” she said.

“I think that it’s important to understand things that are outside of your comfort zone, or just other people’s experiences … It gives you a sense of humanity.”

Hadley said the chance to learn another language appeals to her not just for practical reasons, but also personal ones.

“I enjoy having conversations with people and the more languages you know, the more people you can talk to,” she said.

“I’ve had multiple interactions with people speaking Spanish and being able to communicate with them when you otherwise wouldn’t — the feeling is unmatched.”

Parents say Mansfield City Schools prepared their daughter well

Kazakhstan is a former member state of the Soviet Union located in Central Asia. It borders both Russia and China and is the ninth largest country in the world by area.

Todd Hoovler said his daughter is always looking for opportunities to step out of her comfort zone.

“She applied for this program on her own because she saw it on the internet,” he said.

“People always tell me, ‘You’ve got to let her be a kid.’ We’ve never pushed her into anything,” he added. “(We’ve just told her) find something that you love and dive into it.”

Todd Hoovler said FLEX applicants were allowed to “rank” nations in order of preference, but she chose not to do so.

“She said, ‘Dad, I’m willing to go anywhere they want to send me,” he recalled.

The elder Hoovler credited Mansfield Spanish Immersion for fostering his daughter’s love for language learning and interest in other cultures.

“She has a natural curiosity and I think Spanish Immersion has given her experiences to think about the wider world,” he said.

Both of Hadley Hoovler’s parents are educators in the Mansfield City School district. Todd is a career tech instructor for Senior High’s entrepreneurship CTE program. Hoovler’s mother Monica teaches kindergarten at Sherman Elementary.

Hadley is part of the school’s soccer team, Key Club and Youth and Government chapter.

“Hadley has always been pretty motivated when it comes to trying out new opportunities and wanting to get the most out of her education,” said Veronica Williams, talented and gifted coordinator at Mansfield City Schools.

“As a graduate of Mansfield Spanish Immersion school, it comes as no surprise that Hadley would seek out an opportunity to add another language.”

Todd Hoovler said his daughter has received ample support from the district since being identified as a gifted student in elementary school.

“I’m a firm believer that Hadley and our family would not be in the position we’re in right now if it weren’t for the love and care of everybody at Spanish Immersion and Mansfield Senior High School,” Todd Hoovler said.

“Mansfield City Schools has been the best decision we’ve ever made for her.”