Twenty-seven Phoenix high school students were selected as youth ambassadors to 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 early summer and then house their host family’s son or daughter when they come back to Phoenix in late July.

Below are the 2008 Phoenix youth ambassadors and their destinations:

Calgary, Canada
Natalie Goldfarb, Horizon High School
Alison Rosenfeld, Chaparral High School

Catania, Italy
Tyler Baker, Shadow Mountain High School
Lindsey Walker, Tempe Prep Academy

Chengdu, China
Kathryn Gonzalez, Shadow Mountain High School
Adam Klever, North High School
Virginia Morgan, Arcadia High School

Ennis, Ireland
Joshua Gutierrez, Brophy College Prep
William Mask, Shadow Mountain High School
Michael Ward, Sunnyslope High School
Katie Whitcombe, Barry Goldwater High School

Grenoble, France
Zachary Loubert, North High School
Lauren Rodes, Xavier College Prep

Hermosillo, Mexico
Aimee Morrison, Chaparral High School
Sam Schleier, Thunderbird High School
Edward Unthank, Brophy College Prep

Himeji, Japan
Jean-Luc Cavnar Lewandowski, Brophy College Prep
Kyle Marshall, Shadow Mountain High School
Alexandra Smith, Arcadia High School
Caitlan Spencer, Sunnyslope High School

Prague, Czech Republic
John MacDonnell, Brophy College Prep
Britt Nemetz, Sandra Day O’Connor High School

Ramat-Gan, Israel
Cassalynn Gannon, Xavier College Prep
Morgan White, Shadow Mountain High School

Taipei, Taiwan
Robert Balint, Brophy College Prep
Stephanie Cole, Greenway High School
Allaire Conte, Shadow Mountain 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.