Adam November, a student at Syosset High School and a resident of Jericho, will depart on Sunday, June 11 to live in Japan for the summer through a program called the Youth for Understanding (YFU) International Exchange.

"Every year my Japanese teacher tells the students about this program and the kids who went last year spoke about it and I just decided to apply," said a very nervous November.

The application process, which took place in Nov. 1999, consisted of writing five essays, submitting a transcript and obtaining two teacher recommendations. Over 440 students applied and 120 were accepted for this program.

"I heard at the end of April that I was accepted and really going," said November. "Now it is almost here and I am nervous and excited at the same time."

The 15-year-old November will spend a total of six weeks in Japan. The first week will consist of meeting government officials, learning Japanese customs and culture and getting acquainted with the area in a language and culture-based course at the Olympic Memorial Center in Tokyo.

The remaining time will be spent in the home of a volunteer Japanese family who will have a teen of their own to show the students around. November will be attending classes while in Japan and also assist Japanese students learning the English language.

Schools across the country were encouraged to nominate qualified students who had studied at least one year of Japanese and maintained at least a 3.0 overall grade point average. November just completed his first year of Japanese classes at Syosset High School and teacher Sensei Darlene Watson recommended him to this program. "Most Japanese students speak English so I know I will have someone that I can communicate with," said November.

Although November was waiting for the last minute to pack, he did have a list made of things to bring which included cultural items representing New York. A Yankees T-shirt, Mets cap and miniature Statue of Liberty were some of those items.

November hopes to be a journalist or become involved in international affairs in the future and feels that this is a great opportunity to explore the world and prepare himself for that. "I want to experience something different," said November.

Another Syosset student, junior Michael Mashioff, will also be studying in Japan this summer. He was accepted through another program which honors only two juniors in each of the 50 states.

The Japan-America Friendship Scholars Program is administered by Youth for Understanding (YFU) International Exchange. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Education, science, sports and culture, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Freeman Foundation and the United States Government all provide funding for this scholarship.