Junaid Bin Masood is 16 years old from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He is a student of grade 10 in Grammar School Rawalpindi. He is placed with a family in California. Junaid is very smart, extremely social and outgoing. He has been an outstanding student with straight A's year after year. Junaid is engaged in a range of hobbies and interests. He is interested in cooking and handicrafts: glass painting and sketching are his speciality. Junaid is prolific writer and believes that writing is a great way of expressing ones feelings, ideas and thoughts. He interacts with peers and experts globally via online curriculum based projects. He hopes to write and publish a book one day. He is also very interested in the wonders of nature. He also hopes to learn to play violin and practice sculpturing. Junaid knows many people around the world and has many international friends. He is interested in social issues and is an active participant in the Human Rights Education Program, UNESCO's Heritage project. He won an ILO painting competition on World Day Against Child Labor. Junaid would like to continue his education so that he may become an engineer.
	Nazia Akhtar is 15 years old from a rural community of Hunza, a beautiful region of the Northern Areas of Pakistan surrounded by the most famous Rakaposhi Mountains. She is a student of class 10th at Aga Khan Academy-Hunza. She is placed in Tennessee for her sophomore year. She is an enthusiastic, outgoing and fun loving girl. She is very good at studies and is engaged in a range of extra curricular activities in school. She has won many awards and trophies as well. Being from a mountainous area, Nazia is close to nature enjoys animals and pets. She loves dogs and has a dog and few ducks at home. She likes to spend her free time socializing with friends and family members. Her interests include watching television, playing computer games and reading English classics. Her favorite novel is Anne Of Green Gables. She likes to write poems and watching Indian movies. She also likes to play cricket and watch cricket matches on television. The Australian cricket team is her favorite. She is eager to teach this sport to her friends in USA.
	Rafay Masood Kazmi is 15 years old and lives in the urbanized city of Karachi. He is proud of his name which is from the Koran (holy book of Muslims) which means "The one who enlightens". He has completed grade 10th from Al Murtaza Boys Secondary School in Karachi. He is placed with a family in Pennsylvania and is enrolled in grade 11. Rafay indeed has an enlightening and charismatic personality, very friendly, a true "people" person. He lives in an extended family and enjoys interacting with people from all ages. Rafay has lent leadership skills, which is evident from the fact that he is the "Head Boy" at a 600 student school. He has many friends and is well liked and appreciated by all in his school as well as community and family. He enjoys playing soccer, makes scientific 3D models, participates in oration and debates, and is very good at creative writing. He writes essays and poems. He is interested in reading and foreign languages. Rafay plans to study accounting.
	Zaneera Afzal is very enthusiastic, young girl of 16 from Jehlum, Pakistan. She completed grade 10 at the Fauji Foundation Model School. Zaneera is placed with a family in Michigan. Zaneera is a very nice polite, well mannered girl with a brilliant smile flashing from her face all the time. She is very social and enjoys spending time with friends and family. She has many siblings, gets along well with everyone and loves to help people in need. She enjoys music and likes to listen to old classics. Zaneera is very active in outdoor sports, is good player of badminton and is an outstanding participant in track. She regularly participates in debates and speeches and has won many awards. She also performs in school plays, and won award for her performance in Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. She would like to be a professional woman and contribute to her community and to Pakistani society. She will pursue her career as a Telecom Engineer.
	Farangis Azim is a 16 years old hailing from Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. She completed grade 10 at the Qadim's Lumiere School. She is placed with a family in Minnesota. Farangis has a passion for exploring and learning about different cultures. She is very smart, confident and independent and outgoing with varied talents. She speaks many languages fluently including Urdu, English, Pushto and Russian. She is very social, makes friends easily and has many friends. She is very interested in music and dancing and can perform some regional dances as well. Farangis is an active community volunteer and has participated extensively in relief efforts for the earthquake affected areas of Northern Pakistan during the Global Youth Service Day. She wants to study medicine and become a doctor.
	Humayun Ansari is 16 years old and smart young man from cosmopolitan Karachi. He completed grade 10 from Premier Public School. He is spending this year in Oregon. He is very social, humorous and loves to make friends. He is very enthusiastic and eager to learn new things meet new people. He posses a very humane nature and shows compassion for all living things, especially children and animals. He is very confident and is great public speaker, He has been master of ceremonies for most school events and has won awards for best MC. He is a very good student, works hard and hopes to obtain a good education for economic stability and to be able to contribute better to society. He is very interested in and keeps himself updated with current affairs and has great understanding of socio political issues of world. He enjoys reading. Harry Potter is his favorite series currently. He likes playing computer games and also enjoys cooking and has won several cooking competitions. Humayun loves swimming, and if given a chance would swim competitively for his school. Humayum plans a career in financial management and pursue a career as an accountant.

2006-2007 Student Participants Samina Barwani is 16 years old. She lives in Karachi which is the biggest city of Pakistan and is situated in Sindh, a province of Pakistan. She finished her secondary school that is 10th grade from Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan School, Karachi and she is currently a student of Woodham High School in Pensacola, Florida in USA. She loves skating. She likes to participate in debates, speeches, and science quizzes and academic events and also has interest in flower arrangements and gardening. She loves to collect plush toys. In future her plans are to start her own business and run it successfully. Huma Khan is 16 years old. She lives in Islamabad which is the Capital city of Pakistan. She finished her secondary school that is 10th grade from SLS Montessori & School, Islamabad and she is currently Studying in Mojave High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada in USA. She has special interest in events and activities related to cultural exchange and international understanding. She likes reading novels and listening to music. She likes to play badminton and likes cooking as well. In future she plans to study further in business management. Muhammad Yasin is 17 years old. He lives in Karachi which is the biggest city of Pakistan and is situated in Sindh, a province of Pakistan. In Karachi he was a grade 11 Student in Government Adamjee Science College. Currently studying in Andover High School in Andover, New York in USA. He likes reading fiction novels and poetry. He loves making 3D Models of science, poster making and also likes to participate in debates and community service activities. He likes being creative and in future his plans are to become a Surgeon. Syed Touqeer Hussain Shah is 15 years old. He lives in Peshawar, the capital of the province of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. He finished his secondary school that is 10th grade from Edwards College School, Peshawar and he is currently studying in Lancaster High school in Lancaster, South Carolina in USA. He likes playing cricket and football and Carom Board. He loves hiking too. He likes science exhibitions and in future he plans do be a researcher in field of medical science. Waleed Nasir is a 16 year old 11 grader, currently living in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Waleed completed grade 10 from the Beaconhouse School System, Gulshan Branch from Karachi and is now enrolled in Crystal Lake Central High School and an honor roll student. Waleed has many friends in Pakistan and in his new community at Crystal Lake. He enjoys family gatherings and parties. Waleed plays football and soccer at Crystal Lake. He is also in the bowling league, and in the Science Olympiad. In Karachi, he played Cricket and also played in the under 14 team at District level matches. In his spare time, he flies kites and watches cricket matches on TV. Waleed is very active in volunteering and community service. He was one of the students who worked to raise funds for the Earthquake victims in Pakistan. Muhammad Talha Qureshi is a 16 year old High School student from Shah Wilayat Public School-Karachi. Talha has been an outstanding student all through his school years. He is very popular among family and friends because of his friendly and caring nature. He is an active community volunteer and he works closely with Human Rights Education Program and the Lions Club. He is currently enrolled in grade 11 in Canyon City High School and is living with a family in Canyon City, Colorado. He has made many new friends in his American school.