The British Ambassador and his wife, Sir David and Lady Katherine Manning, hosted a Summer Drinks Party reception in July 2006 at their official residence and gardens in Washington, DC.

The event attracts around 250 VIP guests, including the leadership of the British-American Business Association of Washington, DC (BABA).

ACS International Schools' US-based Director of Corporate Relations, Andrew Kittell, was also on hand to congratulate the BABC Scholars. Proceeds from the event benefit the BABC-ACS British Studies Scholarship Fund, providing all-expenses-paid opportunities for summer study in England.

Students are selected for a full scholarship to participate in the prestigious ACS International Schools' British Studies Summer Programme in London, England after competing with other students in a school-administered essay contest to earn the two-week BABC-funded summer study-travel experience at the ACS International Schools' Cobham, Surrey campus.

From July 1st to July 15, ACS British Studies Director Adam Powell and guest faculty led a select group of ACS International Schools' students and BABC Scholars from Dallas, Charlotte, NC, and Washington, DC. This group of 15 highly motivated students enjoyed field trips to The Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, the Wye Valley, Tintern Abbey, WWI Battle sites in France, and historic ships in Portsmouth Harbour.

Their museum visits included The National Gallery, Sir John Soane’s Museum, The Victoria & Albert Museum, Tate Modern, Museum of London, and the Imperial War Museum. Among other highlights, the Scholars’ London-area visits included an outing to a top West End play and the Globe Theatre.

Since 1998, BABC Chapters from around the States have sponsored deserving and motivated high-school students as ACS British Studies Scholars. Though many come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, the Scholars are all high achievers. Some have earned degrees from prestigious universities such as Stanford and NYU. Miss Casey Perez, one of the 2004 ACS British Studies Scholars from North Dallas High School, was the Class of 2005's valedictorian, earning over $300,000 in post-secondary scholarships.