Kaila O’Connor, of Albrightsville, will study Korean this summer in South Korea on a National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarship.

The scholarship program is from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It promotes the study of Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian or Turkish.

O’Connor was one of 540 students selected from thousands of high school applicants across the United States to receive a scholarship.

While in South Korea, she will live with a host family, immerse in the local culture and host community, and engage with local peers to enhance language learning and build mutual understanding.

O’Connor is a Jim Thorpe High School graduate and will attend Columbia University in the fall with a major in biochemistry.