One of the ways we create global futures in Northwest Florida is by encouraging youth to explore the world through international exchange. We do this by introducing them to International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants and alumni. Currently, we are inviting IVLP alumni to present at Youth Diplomat meetings via the IVLP in the Classroom Initiative offered by the Office of International. We also expose local youth to the many scholarship opportunities available to programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
We encouraged virtual exchange for many years prior to the COVID pandemic as recruiters for World Learning’s The Experiment Digital (TED). In 2017 former Youth Diplomat Gorham Partington participated in the program’s predecessor, the Digital Young Leaders Exchange Program, and several Youth Diplomats have participated in TED since its relaunch a few years ago.
One of these alumnae is Isabella Brammer. Isabella is a Pace High School graduate and was a Youth Diplomat from 2019-2021. She participated in TED in 2019. “Through Youth Diplomats, I’ve been introduced to opportunities from the U.S. Department of State such as The Experiment Digital, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and Youth Ambassadors.”
In reflecting on her time as a Youth Diplomat, Isabella described how, “Meeting with international visitors from all corners of the world has been such an awesome opportunity to be exposed to cultures and ideas unlike my own, which is by far one of the best perks of being a Youth Diplomat….This program has widened the lens that I view the world through, creating a vastly more refreshing and globally-minded perspective that myself and others get to enjoy. Working side by side with my fellow Youth Diplomats has allowed me to foster friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Isabella is attending the University of West Florida and is majoring in International Studies with a plan to transfer to the University of Florida after receiving her AA. She explained, “Youth Diplomats has led me to pinpoint my desire of having a career in the field of foreign affairs and diplomacy all while helping to build up the skills necessary for accomplishing that goal.”
Some students participate in Youth Diplomats because, like Isabella, they are interested in pursuing international studies. Others approach their time with us as an opportunity to gain exposure to foreign languages and other cultures while developing their leadership skills. Whatever their motivation for joining, teens leave the program with a better understanding of their place in the world and an appreciation of their community, helping us create global futures in Northwest Florida.
