Forty 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.

High school sophomores and juniors are selected on the basis of their communication skills, maturity, flexibility, leadership and self-confidence. The students live with a host family in their designated sister cities for three weeks during the summer, then reciprocate and house their host family’s son or daughter when they come back to Phoenix.

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

Calgary, Canada
Kaitlyn Hitt, 91^st Psalm Christian High School
Kate Sommerville, Sunnyslope High School

Catania, Italy
Andrew Penrose, Thunderbird High School
Jose Valdez, St. Mary’s High School
Parth Padgaonkar, Thunderbird High School
Robert Morgan, Arcadia High School

Chengdu, China
Briana Davis, Thunderbird High School
James Harris, Thunderbird High School
Krista Grote, Phoenix Christian Unified Schools
Madeline Kloss, Desert Mountain High School
Sean Armstrong, Shadow Mountain High School
Yasmine Hafiz, Xavier College Preparatory

Ennis, Ireland
Diego Ezrre, Brophy College Preparatory
Hillary Carneal, Sunnyslope High School
Lauren Dugan, Xavier College Preparatory
Molly Opitz, Sunnyslope High School

Grenoble, France
Karen Ellis, North High School
Lauren Martin, Thunderbird High School
Morgen Schreiner, Mountain Pointe High School
Taylor Bednarz, North High School

Hermosillo, Mexico
Amy Forker, Arcadia High School
David Adams, Thunderbird High School
Ivy Epstein, Phoenix Country Day School
Lexi Moody, Arcadia High School

Himeji, Japan
Arianne Gruys, Chaparral High School
Averi Gutierrez, North High School
Colin Good, North Canyon High School
Hugo Polanco, Washington High School
Kelsey Rader, Greenway High School
Laura Wade, North Canyon High School
Shelby Neal, Mountain Pointe High School

Prague, Czech Republic
Amanda Wilson, Thunderbird High School
Bronwen Vogel, Phoenix Christian High School
Cheryl Blomberg, North Canyon High School
Cole Schlesinger, Sunnyslope High School

Ramat-Gan, Israel
Lauren Gonzalez, Shadow Mountain High School
Monica Luna, Xavier College Preparatory

Taipei, Taiwan
Britt Nemetz, Sandra Day O’Connor High School
Chelsea Curtis, Thunderbird High School
Mallory DeLashmutt, Arcadia High School

Approximately 450 Phoenix students have participated in the Youth Ambassador Exchange Program since it began in 1988. For more information, call Phoenix Sister Cities at 602-534-3751 or visit phoenixsistercities.org.