Events

Public School Students to Be Selected as Bolivian Youth Ambassadors for visit to the U.S.

Applications for the program, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, Partners of the Americas, and the Bolivian-American Bi-National Centers will be open until February 22, 2007.

Fifteen outstanding Bolivian public school students between 14 and 18 years of age, will be selected to travel to the United States for two weeks under an initiative called Youth Ambassadors. This cultural exchange program has been funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

The program is organized by Partners of the Americas –a private, nonprofit entity—, the Bolivian-American Bi-National Centers in several Bolivian cities, and the United States Embassy in La Paz, who will select public school students from low-income families throughout the country who have distinguished themselves for their academic excellence, command of spoken and written English, leadership, social commitment and volunteerism, and who have not yet traveled abroad.

The selected students will embark on a trip to the United States between April 28 and May 13, 2007. During the tour, the teenagers will have the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. and then travel to other states. During the second week they will live with a host family and will have a chance to attend a school and participate, along with American teens, in cultural, social, and volunteer activities.

The program aims to offer the young participants a chance to experience U.S. culture, society, and education. Also, as they live with an American family, they will be able to improve their knowledge of the English language, strengthen their leadership skills, and exchange insights and opinions on Bolivian and American teens’ interests. In sum, these teenagers will become Bolivian “Ambassadors,” thus presenting a positive image of Bolivia and Latin America in the United States.

The application period is currently open and will last until February 22. The list of selected students will be made public on March 20.

In order to apply, interested teens will have to fill out a form, attach the requested documentation, and send it to the corresponding Bolivian-American Bi-National Centers. The application form can be found at the U.S. Embassy (http://bolivia.usembassy.gov) and the Bi-National centers’ websites, or it can be obtained directly from the Academic Directorates of those centers.