Youth and Education

Youth Delegates participate in team-building exercises at the 2009 Youth Conference

"Artists of Peace" Quan Nguyen Santa Clara, CA

Current Youth Programs & Resources

2010 Albuquerque Annual Youth Leadership Conference (Registration Information Coming Soon)
Spend four days with like-minded youth from around the world making life-long friendships and learning about how to make meaningful international connections. This year's theme is "Community Diplomacy and Your World" and the conference will take place in Albuquerque, NM from July 27 to August 1, 2010. Immerse yourself in engaging activities, simulations, and discussions while getting to know your fellow participants and the beautiful city of Albuquerque.

Young Author's Showcase
Do words come more easily to you than pictures? Share your talents in the 2nd Annual Young Author's Showcase. Submit your personal essay or piece of poetry on the theme "Your World…" and tell us how international interactions have influenced your life. One international and one U.S. winner will be selected for each writing category. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2010.

High School Homestay USA
The High School Home Stay exchange program is an opportunity for sister cities to host students for a year or semester of high school in the United States. The sister cities choose the high school students, who must be between the ages of 15 and 18 1/2 on the first day of school. Once the student is in the United States, the U.S. sister city will provide oversight for the student and include the student in sister city activities.

Have you Heard?

2010 Theme Announced for Young Artists and Authors Showcases! Click on the links below to find the guidelines and entry forms for 2010 submissions. You can also find information on how to reach out to local schools to expand your local artist and author showcase or find details on how to host the showcase when it goes on its international tour.

Young Artists Showcase
Young Authors Showcase

U.S. Department of State Launches Virtual Student Foreign Service Program

The Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS) Program, announced by Secretary Clinton at the 2009 New York University commencement speech, is part of a growing effort by the State Department to harness technology and a commitment to global service among young people to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement.

Over the summer, the U.S. Department of State partnered 37 U.S. diplomatic missions and associated projects with 44 current or former interns who are now students attending universities throughout the U.S. The VSFS projects these diplomatic missions and students will be working on in 2009-2010 include assisting in the development of the Iraq National Museum website; helping to teach the English language and American culture through social media outreach; environmental and conservation curriculum planning; and researching and promoting gender equality. Students who are interested in following or contributing to these and other projects can learn more at http://www.facebook.com/usdos.vsfs. The Department of State will continue to develop the VSFS program over the next year to increase engagement with the rising generation of citizen diplomats. More information is available at www.state.gov/vsfs.

"Doors to Diplomacy" 2010 Web Project Competition for Middle School and High School Students

The Department of State and the Global SchoolNet Foundation announce the 2010 "Doors to Diplomacy" award competition, recognizing the student-created Global SchoolNet Web projects that best teach others about the importance of international affairs and diplomacy.

To qualify, middle school and high school students will work in small teams with teacher-coaches. Projects must be completed by March 15, 2010, and winners will be announced in May 2010. Every team that enters a project will receive a special "Doors to Diplomacy" certificate recognizing their achievement. Each student member of the two winning teams — one American and one international — will also receive a $2,000 scholarship, and the winning coaches' schools will each receive a $500 cash award.

For a complete description and information about eligibility and judging criteria, visit http://globalschoolnet.org/gsndoors/. For more information, contact: Dr. Yvonne Marie Andres Global SchoolNet Telephone: 760-635-0001, E-mail: diplomacy@globalschoolnet.org

Youth Program Resources

Sister Schools Toolkit and Program Overview — To facilitate the Sister Schools relationships across the world, the Youth and Education Department has created an accessible online toolkit. Here you will find information on how to start a school to school partnership and program tips to keep the enthusiasm going.

One World Youth Project — The One World Youth Project is a partner organization that brings classrooms together with curricula focused on the Millennium Development Goals. Click here for more information on how to get your class involved.

Past Youth Programs

2008 Kansas City Youth Conference — Here you will find an overview of the 2008 Youth Conference - "Global Action: Taking Community Service Abroad", the schedule at a glance, and some pictures and testimonies from the youth delegates who participated.

Other Recent Youth Programs — Find more information on past Sister Cities International Youth Conferences, grant programs, and collaborative projects with the U.S. Department of State.

Contact Jennelle Root, Special Programs Manager at 202-347-8630 x4003 or jroot@sister-cities.org for more information regarding Sister Cities International youth programs.

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