February 28th, 2025, 6:00 pm - April 11th, 2025, 11:00 pm CDT
Host: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino
The Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a national program for graduating high school seniors aimed at fostering the next generation of community-conscious leaders in the arts, sciences, and humanities via the Smithsonian Institution and its resources. YAP is a college preparatory and leadership program encouraging participants to explore various academic and career opportunities. For the past sixteen years, this program has received major and continued support from Ford Philanthropy.
Students with an interest in and commitment to the arts, sciences, and humanities as it pertains to Latino communities and cultures are selected to travel to Washington, D.C. for a week-long seminar at the Smithsonian. This enrichment opportunity is a leadership development and skill-building training that exposes youth to a wide array of academic disciplines promoting higher education and encouraging the exploration and understanding of Latino history and culture. The seminar, known as Washington Week, includes visits to the Smithsonian’s Latino collections and one-on-one interaction with renowned experts from various fields as well as museum professionals. Following the training seminar, students participate in a four-week interdisciplinary community practicum in museums and other cultural institutions in 19 cities across the United States and Puerto Rico, including Smithsonian-affiliated organizations. This hands-on component allows students to gain transferable knowledge and apply the skills acquired during the training seminar to their practicum assignments.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 11, 2025