Thirty-one Phoenix high school students were chosen to serve as youth ambassadors and travel to Phoenix’s sister cities through a summer student exchange program.

The Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, sponsored by Phoenix Sister Cities, allows young people from around the world to learn about and experience each other’s cultures. Projects such as this one are important tools to help build bridges of understanding and international goodwill. The participating families create friendships and memories that often last a lifetime.

High school juniors are selected on the basis of their communication skills, maturity, flexibility, leadership and self-confidence. The students’ departures run from June 17 to 29. They will live with a host family in their designated sister cities for three weeks, then reciprocate and house their host family’s son or daughter when they arrive in Phoenix beginning July 15.

Below are this year’s Phoenix youth ambassadors and their destinations:

Calgary, Canada
Destiny Huynh, Phoenix Country Day School
Stephanie Bacher, Shadow Mountain High School

Catania, Italy
Amanda Peterson, Desert Vista High School
Elizabeth MacDonnell, Xavier College Preparatory

Chengdu, China
Ashley Susan, Moon Valley High School
Carlos Hernandez, Washington High School
Emma Frick, Notre Dame Preparatory
Manuel Gomez, North High School

Ennis, Ireland
Adam Bloch, Chaparral High School
Alana Caron, North High School
Alyssa Hitt, 91st Psalm Christian High School
Meagan Hawk, Phoenix Christian High School

Grenoble, France
Lauren Frome, Sunnyslope High School
Mathew Cowlin, Phoenix Country Day School

Hermosillo, Mexico
Alex Rose-Quillard, North Canyon High School
Christina Olsen, Arizona School for the Arts

Himeji, Japan
Amanda Martiny, Xavier College Preparatory
Celeste Irvin, Cesar Chavez High School
James Edmunds, Desert Vista High School
John Sours, Brophy College Preparatory
Nicole Sowby, Central High School
Nina Ulloa, North High School
Ryne Barry, Thunderbird High School

Prague, Czech Republic
Kimberly Delnoce, Arcadia High School
Mark Fletcher, Desert Vista High School

Ramat-Gan, Israel
Amyann Freberg, Arizona School for the Arts
Heather Price-Wright, North High School

Taipei, Taiwan
Catherine Kessler, Arcadia High School
Christina Dugan, Xavier College Preparatory
Katherine Moodey, North High School
Stacey Wilkinson, Veritas Preparatory

Approximately 400 Phoenix students have participated in the Youth Ambassador Exchange Program since it began in 1988. For more information, call the Phoenix Sister Cities Commission at 602-534-3751 or visit phoenixsistercities.org.