Smithsonian Latino Center Brings High School Seniors to Washington, D.C
PRESS RELEASE
Washington, DC – Graduating high school seniors from around the country are in Washington for the eighth annual Young Ambassadors Program, (June 23 – 29). This interdisciplinary, leadership-development program fosters the next generation of Latino leaders in the arts, sciences and humanities.
Students attend seminars and skill-building workshops with Latino scholars and leaders in the fields of art, culture and science and visit Smithsonian museums and area cultural centers. At the conclusion of the week, the students return to their local communities for a four-week internship at a museum or cultural center, which will include collaborating with local libraries to promote early childhood literacy. Upon successful completion of the internship, each student will receive a $2,000 stipend to apply toward college.
The Young Ambassadors Program, which receives support from Ford Motor Company Fund, encourages students to explore the Latino experience through visits to Smithsonian collections and through personal interactions with Smithsonian experts, artists, journalists, scientists and museum professionals. This year, students will have the opportunity to meet with leaders such as filmmaker and president of Iguana Films, Maria Agui Carter; breaking news reporter for BuzzFeed, Adrian Carrasquillo; director and producer of HBO’s Habla Series, Alberto Ferreras; founder of The Wise Latina Club and ABC News journalist, Viviana Hurtado; principal and CEO of Speak Hispanic, Elianne Ramos; astronomer and project director of the San Francisco Exploratium, Isabel Hawkins; and Franklin Chang-Díaz, former Latino astronaut, among others.
“We are proud to be actively involved in the success of the Young Ambassadors Program, and to stand alongside SLC for the past six years and witness the impact of this program in the lives of so many students,” said Joedis Avila, community outreach manager, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Education is a top priority to Ford Motor Company Fund because we believe it’s critical in building a better world.”
The following organizations will host interns for this year’s Young Ambassadors Program:
- Arizona Science Center
- Musical Instrument Museum (Ariz.)
- Museum of Latin American Art (Calif.)
- Chabot Space and Science Center (Calif.)
- California Science Center
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C.)
- Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (Fla.)
- Miami Science Museum
- National Museum of Mexican Art (Ill.)
- Adler Planetarium (Ill.)
- National Hispanic Cultural Center (N.M.)
- Explora (N.M.)
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian—New York
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
- Austin Children’s Museum (Texas)
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- International Museum of Art and Science (Texas)
- Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (Texas)
- Talento Bilingüe de Houston
- Children’s Museum of Houston (Texas)
- The Museum of Flight (Wash.)
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services work with community partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Co. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and grants to educational institutions.
The Smithsonian Latino Center is a division of the Smithsonian that ensures Latino contributions to art, science and the humanities are highlighted, understood and advanced through the development and support of public programs, scholarly research, museum collections and educational opportunities at the Smithsonian and its affiliated organization across the U.S. and internationally. For information on the Young Ambassadors Program, visit www.latino.si.edu.
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