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Meet the Student Ambassadors

Gerri

I am already very involved in my community. I work with a non-profit organization that offers educational events, horseback riding lessons, summer camp, after-school programs, and gardening activities to children in SE Washington . I look forward to sharing my experiences in South Africa with these children, and I hope it will inspire them to explore new places and learn about different cultures.

Read Gerri's Reflections on her trip to Cape Town, South Africa in 2006.

Damany

I am an eleventh grader at Woodrow Wilson SHS. Every Thursday I attend the Community Club tutoring program at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. In addition, I participate in a Law Explorer Program with the law firm, DLA Piper, Rudnick, Gray & Cary. At my church, Union Temple Baptist Church, I am a part of the Manhood Training Rites of Passage Program and have been a member of their youth choir (now known as the Hip Hop Choir) since I was 3 years old. Also, I am in my third year of the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute and I recently participated in the YMCA DC Youth Government Legislative Weekend.

This opportunity is worth more especially for me because I have always wanted to go to Africa . Growing up, my school, my church and my parents have all been very African centered. Many people I know who have traveled to Africa have told me what a wonderful experience it is and how it gives you a whole new outlook on life. Although it is nice to listen to these stories, I would love to experience these great things myself.

Read Damany's Reflections on his trip to Cape Town, South Africa in 2006.

McKindria

I am a junior at School Without Walls SHS, in Washington, DC . I have many interests outside of school including kick boxing, cheerleading, swing dancing, volleyball, Diamond Girls Jazz Choir, basketball, roller skating, and playing the alto saxophone.

All of these have shaped me into the person that I am today. However, the one activity that has had the most positive influence on my life is swing dancing.  I have traveled to many states to participate in swing dance competitions, and this has given me the passion to travel. I also enjoy the company of new people, exchanging ideas on life and learning valuable lessons through these exchanges.  I believe that people should often take chances at opportunities that have positive outcomes, and that those who have positive attitudes receive positive blessings. In the future, I plan to attend college and pursue a career in the medical profession.  

This summer I plan to attend the trip to South Africa , along with Community Club, as a youth ambassador representing Washington , DC and the United States . The trip to South Africa will not only allow me to experience a different geographical setting and culture, it will also allow me to share information about my interests and life. I know there is a lot that I can learn from these students, and there is a lot they can learn from me.

Read McKindria's Reflections on her trip to Cape Town, South Africa in 2006.

Phillip

I am in the 10 th grade and attend Wilson Senior High school. I have been selected to be a Student Ambassador at the US – South Africa Youth Leader Summit this summer in Cape Town, South Africa.

I am involved in many activities. This year I was on the school football team and track team. I also play the saxophone in the school band. Outside of school, I sing in my church choir at St. Martin’s. I am also a member of the Phyllis S. Byrd Youth Fraternity, a program that teaches young people how to speak in front of large groups of people, where I served as the prince patron for two years. As the prince patron, I had to make and read speeches in front of large groups of people.

I am excited to go to South Africa because I believe it will be a great experience for me to see the world outside of the United States and to learn about new cultures. With its past of Apartheid, racism and prejudice, and the rate of HIV/AIDS among it people, especially children, attending the summit in South Africa is a special opportunity for me to see and address some of these problems up front, and to talk to my counterparts and peers in South Africa and other cities in the United States.

Read Phillip's Reflections on his trip to Cape Town, South Africa in 2006.

Taara

I am a junior attending School Without Walls Senior High School in Washington, DC. Currently I’m in a Street Law program at my school. I also dance with the Dance Institute of Washington, sing in my church choir, and in my spare time I volunteer at a community center called Martha’s Table, playing with children while their parents get the help they need.

Growing up in a city, I've had the privilege of being exposed to many different types of people and lifestyles. I was taught at a very young age to be tolerant of the various people and lifestyles that I encounter and to accept all people and their different walks of life. However, I have never traveled outside of the United States. Traveling to South Africa will give me the opportunity to visit a different country and experience the different cultural styles that exist within it. It will also allow me to meet new people and experience the ways the South Africans live.

Odinga

Hello my name is Odinga, and I am a student at Coolidge High School. I play for the football team, I am in the book club, and I am trying to start a chess team. For three years, I have been attending Community Club, which is a tutoring and mentoring program in Washington for students in grades 6-12.

Through Community Club, I was selected to go to South Africa to attend the US-South Africa Youth Leaders Summit in July. I know I will learn a lot from this trip, but I also plan to have a lot of fun as well. I think this trip will help open my mind to new things. I find traveling and connecting with people in new places to be a great way to learn about myself and others. It also will be a lot of fun sharing my experiences with people in Washington when I get back.

Read Odinga's Reflections on his trip to Cape Town, South Africa in 2006.