In the United States they add foreign language studies in high school. The typical teenager will study their chosen foreign language for two semesters. The United States education system denies children a broad learning system. Schools in almost every European country, as well as Asia, make it a requirement for students to begin learning a foreign language at a young age.
Teaching children at a young age allows them to learn the language easier and become completely fluent by their teenage years. This alone opens up many more opportunities for America's youth, between international politics, business, foreign travel, as well as a broader mindset.