Meet EYTT Student Ambassador Dushun Burrell

This year serves as the pilot launch for the Empowering Youth Through Travel (EYTT) program. As we move full speed ahead with the Supplemental Learning Experience (SLE), our students are beginning to really understand the significance of their involvement. With only three students selected to participate this year, it has been a mutually beneficial experience. Among the many benefits, EYTT has the opportunity to tailor a curriculum specific to our participants needs. We also receive great feedback from students and their families on ways to enhance our program. Students are given individual attention in an educational setting, along with the opportunity to have an inside view of the start-up phase of a social entrepreneurial venture! Now is your chance to meet one of EYTT’s Student Ambassadors, Dushun Burrell.

Dushun is a sophomore at Holy Trinity High School and is a kindhearted, gentleman with great goals for his future. As a committed scholar, Dushun arrives early to school for various meetings and leaves late from his extracurricular activities. Dushun’s favorite class is world literature, and he hopes to one day travel to England considering his fascination with the English language. Dushun comes from a family of three and currently lives with his mother in Chicago’s Austin community. He is close with and extremely proud of his older sister who will soon graduate from nursing school.

Dushun is a representative of HT’s Student Council and enjoys the responsibility he has taken on in serving as a voice for his peers. He is also a mentee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Dushun’s extra curricular involvement is indicative of his outgoing personality and strong leadership abilities. One of his main interests outside of school is food! For Dushun food represents family and is something he enjoys significantly when gathering with those he loves most. Deshun looks forward to learning more about food within the Costa Rican culture, along with topics surrounding sustainable farming under EYTT’s global theme, sustainability. Never having left the country, Dushun anticipates this new and exciting journey ahead of him. He doesn’t know what to expect overseas, but he is thrilled to be a part of an organization providing him with the chance to learn new things and travel abroad.

Below is Dushun’s account of why he decided to become a part of EYTT:

“I live in a poor neighborhood that has a lot of gangbangers and drug activity. I don’t do drugs and stay away from trouble. I come from a single-parent home and I know how it feels to be poor. I see people on the streets every day begging for money. It is very sad and sometimes I wish I can help. If they ask me for money I give them what I can because they probably have no family that cares about them or parents that were killed.”

“I have learned from experience that you really don’t know another individual’s situation until you are in their shoes. That’s something my beloved great grandmother who died recently used to tell me. She taught me a lot about life and her experience’s as a young girl living in Jonestown, Mississippi. She lived in a racist, segregated town where it was primarily white. She worked as a housekeeper who took care of children, made sure that they were fed and taken good care of. She always told me, “Take people’s negative opinions of you and use them, feed off them…” Meaning, when they try to put you down, have some wisdom and stand up for what’s right, keep your head up and be the best you can be. I know that I will gain a lot from the EYTT program. This opportunity will help me with my goals of graduating high school and getting into college. I will have the chance to see new things, and learn through traveling abroad. I want to be a successful, Black American who travels to different countries and brings back ideas to share with my community. I want to help other kids in my neighborhood see there are more options in life which is what EYTT is helping me to see.”

–

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

Meet EYTT Student Ambassador Yael Ramirez

This year serves as the pilot launch for the Empowering Youth Through Travel (EYTT) program. As we move full speed ahead with the Supplemental Learning Experience (SLE), our students are beginning to really understand the significance of their involvement. With only three students selected to participate this year, it has been a mutually beneficial experience. Among the many benefits, EYTT has the opportunity to tailor a curriculum specific to our participants needs. We also receive great feedback from students and their families on ways to enhance our program. Students are given individual attention in an educational setting, along with the opportunity to have an inside view of the start-up phase of a social entrepreneurial venture! Now is your chance to meet one of EYTT’s Student Ambassadors, Yael Ramirez.

Yael is a junior at Holy Trinity High School. She is a spunky and passionate young lady with many interests and the hunger to succeed. Yael is the oldest child in a family of four and learned at an early age what it means to step-up to the plate during difficult times. Her freshman year, Yael’s father was diagnosed with skin cancer, and to make matters worse he was in need of a kidney transplant. Amazingly, Yael’s mother donated one of her kidneys to her husband. This was quite a challenging time, and required Yael to take on family responsibilities she never anticipated doing at 15 years old. Yael remained strong for her mother and especially her younger sister. In 2011, her father recovered from his cancer and a sense of peace in the Ramirez home was again restored.

Having endured such a roller-coaster of emotions, Yael uses her creativity as an outlet. She is quite inventive and enjoys arts and crafts projects such as making friendship bracelets, and occasionally changing up the décor in her bedroom with recycled materials. Yael also holds an extreme appreciate for nature and adores animals. Along with being part of EYTT she is involved in pet club, student council, and is one of the newest members of the National Honors Society (Go, Yael!). When asked what in EYTT she looks forward to, Yael said, “Adventure!” She wants to delve deeper into the global topic of sustainability having always been a conscious recycler. Yeal is ready for the new experiences that await her through the EYTT SLE in Chicago and of course, our end-of-year journey to Costa Rica!

Below you will find Yael’s blog account of the students first SLE day on January 28, 2012:

“The 28th of January was the day that Chris, Dushan and I had our first class for EYTT. I didn’t know what to expect, I was excited to get started though. We were unsure of who our second teacher was, so it was just another thing I looked forward to.”

“We began with an activity that involved a long piece of yarn and we all sat in a circle. We each grabbed a part of the yarn and tossed it around to each other. When everyone had a part to grab onto, they told me to tug on it. My pull affected the part that Christopher was holding, while Chris’s pull affected Dushun’s, and so forth. I felt this activity’s message was that what one personal does has an affect on all of us. Whether it is a good thing or not, our individual actions have some kind of affect on the whole.”

“The second activity we did I really liked. It was a memory game and required really concentrating on what your partner was doing. Our teacher would show us a shape, letter or word and we would have to draw or spell it out on our partner’s back. When we were ready, we’d go write or draw what we thought was drawn on our backs onto a piece of paper. We came out with some things that were way different from what the person spelled, although sometimes we got it right. This activity taught me about communication and teamwork. If you didn’t pay attention then you would get something way different from what your the other person wrote.”

“After the activities we read our scholarship essays aloud to one another. I really liked that because we were giving each other advice on how to improve our essays and make them stronger. It was good to get opinions from others who don’t really know you outside of school. The last thing we did was research Costa Rica and Chicago. We all had different topics and mine was environment and climate as well as holidays. I learned that Costa Rica and Chicago have a lot of holidays in common. We are different in many ways, yet still have some similarities. I am really looking forward to the many more classes like this one!”

–

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

All Aboard! EYTT Students Begin The Supplemental Learning Experience

Saturday, January 28 commence’s a new chapter for Empowering Youth Through Travel students as they begin the Supplemental Learning Experience (SLE). The SLE component of our program intertwines a social issue with leadership development. A curriculum has been established by EYTT educators, which will equip teens with the knowledge and skills to make positive change in their respective communities and abroad. Part of developing global leaders is through increasing one’s awareness of issues that affect individuals worldwide. EYTT promotes this awareness through our 2012 Global Theme sustainable development. Sustainability is a broad issue to cover as there are many subtopics under this umbrella. However, students will gain a solid introduction of the theme with an opportunity to delve further into a specific area of their interest. They will do this through independent research, field trips, hands-on activities, overseas travel to Costa Rica, and a final capstone project where students discover their niche as social agents of change.

EYTT’s Education and Program Coordinator, Gema Alonso, has worked with our students since summer 2011. She has developed a mentoring and academic relationship with each of them in preparation for the SLE. Throughout this time students have made progress towards their personal and academic goals. As the program transitions it will be amazing to witness these young men and women continue to form their identities and become conscious global citizens. Our students are enthusiastic about what is to come in the next seven months, from exploring their own city to packing up and traveling overseas.

While students increase their understanding of the Global Theme, we integrate the Social Change Model of Leadership Development created by the Higher Education Research Institute of UCLA. This model looks at leadership in three different areas to engage students and cultivate leadership skills. Within these three areas there are core values assigned:

Individual – consciousness of self, congruence, and commitment

Group – collaboration, common purpose, and controversy with civility

Community – citizenship

This model aligns with EYTT’s organizational goals within the SLE program to:

ENLIGHTEN our students through hands on learning of current issues at home and abroad.

DEVELOP future leaders who are aware of the issues plaguing our country and those overseas; providing them with the knowledge and tools to enact positive change.

FOSTER worldly citizens who will gain an understanding and tolerance of diverse groups of people from various cultures, religions, races, and creeds.

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

EYTT Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP, honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His instrumental and defining role in American history and the civil rights movement will never be forgotten. King’s words, spirit, and widespread impact continue to resonate throughout our lives. He promoted racial understanding, love, tolerance, community, and change. Although many strides have been taken to implement King’s vision, we still have a long way to go. There is much work that needs to be done in addressing the issues of race, class, and privilege which all form the society we live in today. King once said, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” Although true change begins with self; collective effort is needed to achieve a broader reach. We must all come together to address the issues plaguing our communities and create viable solutions for the sake of our futures.

At Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP, we seek to do our part by making the right of travel available to inner-city teens. EYTT not only provides participants with such experiences, but also equips them with the knowledge and tools to implement lasting change at home and abroad. However, this takes a team effort to happen. There is no greater reminder of collectivity than the EYTT Meet and Greet held this past Friday. Parents, students, staff, and board members of EYTT all came together to learn more about one another. The evening was one of inspiration, motivation, shared experiences, and a chance for everyone to bond.

As each individual stood to introduce themselves, there was one common thread that linked us all. “Opportunity.” Whether it was someone who has never traveled abroad or another who has traveled to five countries, it all came down to having or not having the “opportunity.” Without being presented with a chance to see the world either through academic study abroad programs, church groups, family trips, or scholarships, few may have traveled. The “opportunity” alone was instrumental and determines whether a person has an equal chance at what life has to offer. It is “opportunity” that fosters equality, opens doors, provides new perspectives, incites a call to action, and changes lives forever.

Travel is a privilege and there are a multitude of barriers that prevent people from going abroad. Unfortunately there are more obstacles that keep underserved teens from travel, than solutions to provide them with the option. Like King, we all have dreams. Yet, without options we will inevitably miss out on the ability to experience some of life’s greatest riches. Nonetheless, we must unite in our efforts to create opportunities for our youth and make a better future for one another.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

Let’s get to work!

To view pictures of the EYTT Meet and Greet, click here.

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

The opinions expressed in this blog are by Jessica Mann, Founder and Executive Director of Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP.

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Maria Dolores “Lola” Campos

Today is the last day in our “New Year, New Faces” series on Board of Director introductions. It also happens to be the day of our “BOD – Student Meet & Greet” at Holy Trinity High School. This evening, students and parents will have the opportunity to meet the men and women who help lead Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP successfully into the future.

Without further adieu we bring you Board of Director for Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP, Maria Dolores Campos or “Lola” as most of us know her. Lola first learned about EYTT through Board Development coordinator, Diana Alfaro. After learning more about the organization and meeting staff members at the STATE fundraiser, she was compelled to be a part of the organization.

At a young age, Lola developed a fascination for learning about people and other cultures. She is a strong advocate for overseas travel and volunteering, with the belief that such experiences bring an increased worldly perspective and individual awareness. For children and adults alike, Lola feels that the knowledge gained from travel makes you a greater asset to our global society. Having traveled throughout her native Mexico, along with parts of South America, Europe, and the Philippines, Lola is a testament to her convictions on the significance of travel.

Lola has participated in consulting projects developing sustainable poverty alleviation strategies in rural Mexico. She has also taught English in Mexico City to medical students at Univerisdad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), the country’s most influential institution of higher learning. In recent years, Lola has collaborated with the U.S. – Mexico Chamber of Commerce assisting in the organization’s goal to increase mutual economic development among the two nations. A proud Double Demon, Lola graduated from DePaul University with her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, followed by a Master of Public Service in International Public Administration.

Welcome Aboard, Lola!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

 

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Carlos Arroyo

Today we introduce to you Carlos Arroyo, Board of Director and Secretary for Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP. He is a Chicago native and grew up in the city’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Carlos was considered an “at risk” teen, raised in an area where violence, gangs, and drugs were the norm. Unlike the majority of his peers, Carlos was able to travel outside of the city. As a kid, Carlos’ father would take him and his family to Mexico every year. His mother worked for a corporate travel agency, and occasionally had Carlos accompany her on trips throughout the US. These experiences provided Carlos with a new perspective, and allowed him to see what life was like outside of his community. Many of the people he grew up with have yet to leave Chicago and unfortunately may never have the chance to do so. Carlos understands how severely limiting this can be, yet it does not change the cycle that continues to repeat itself.

Carlos learned about EYTT through the organizations work with Holy Trinity High School students. He was inspired by the mission and as Holy Trinity alum, Carlos was compelled to get involved. HTHS played a huge part in shaping who Carlos has become today. This motivated his desire to provide their students with life-changing travel opportunities, just as he had. Carlos believes that his personal and professional experiences will help EYTT grow its cause and assist in inspiring youth.

Carlos is the Lead Conversion and Integrations Trainer for Talmer Bank, a mid-sized financial institution in the Midwest. With six years of banking experience, he has held various positions in the industry including management and business development. Most recently, he has helped to train and integrate over 500 employees from failed institutions acquired through FDIC assisted transactions. He previously served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for a nonprofit that assists elderly living in Chicago’s western suburbs. Carlos received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Robert Morris University.

Welcome Aboard, Carlos!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

 

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Renita D. Young

Today we introduce Renita D. Young, Board of Director for Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP. Renita learned about EYTT while perusing social media profiles, and after researching the organization, she thought it was a wonderful concept.

Renita’s desire to join EYTT as a board member stems from her passion to combine travel, education and entrepreneurship. She’s had the chance to live and work in Kenya as a TV reporter while getting her graduate degree at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and perform in the London New Year’s Day Parade in high school as a cheerleader. Aside from the eagerness to see the world, Renita’s always been inquisitive about other cultures and has made it a goal to be a lifelong learner. She wants to use her career to help educate youth on matters that don’t necessarily happen in their neighborhoods, to help nurture a more well-rounded, informed generation.

Renita Young is the founding Editor of AOL’s Evergreen Park Patch, providing multimedia news and information for the village of Evergreen Park. As editor, she manages a virtual newsroom by keeping her finger on the pulse of the community and reporting on a variety of topics ranging from local municipal races and breaking police news to school board meetings and local parades. Additionally, Renita can be heard weekly on WVON 1690 AM’s Urban Business Roundtable hosted by Alfred Edmond, Jr., Editor-at-Large of Blackenterprise.com, hosting the business profiles segment. Prior to Patch, Renita worked with Nairobi-based K-24 TV, Kenya’s first locally-headquartered 24-hour news station, as a business reporter and special projects show host.

A native Chicagoan, Renita brings a variety of experience to EYTT including television and online reporting and production with ABC-7′s Ebert & Roeper Show, WYCC-TV, FOX News 2 in St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands, United Press International; public relations with Edelman Chicago; social media management, public affairs, and business development with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Renita holds a Masters of Science in Journalism with a focus on Broadcast from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and English from DePaul University.

Welcome Aboard, Renita!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

 

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Sarah Hubbs

As we move progressively into the second week of the New Year, we continue with our series on Board of Director introductions. Today we bring you Sarah Hubbs, Board of Director and co-chair for Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP. Sarah first learned about EYTT through founder Jessica Mann while working together at CBS Radio. Her interest in becoming a part of the board came from her love of travel and volunteering, primarily with youth. At a young age, she began volunteering locally with youth in Humboldt Park. She has also worked with youth in Champaign and Carbondale, Illinois. From local volunteering, Sarah was exposed to the idea of volunteering abroad. She traveled to the Spanish speaking community in Roatan, Honduras for a mission trip where her fascination with other cultures grew. Since then, Sarah has traveled to the Pacific island of Palau to complete research for an advertising campaign to educate Palauan youth and adults on public health issues. Through her travels, Sarah has gained a wealth of knowledge and a deep appreciation for education and other cultures, and eagerly joined EYTT to provide Chicago youth with similar opportunities and experiences.

Sarah Hubbs is currently a Research Analyst at Networked Insights in Chicago. Using cutting-edge technology developed by the company, she uncovers real audience interests that brands use to sync with their customers. Sarah focuses on the CPG/Media vertical and uses a hybrid of quantitative and qualitative metrics to provide specific and tactical marketing recommendations that reinvent traditional media planning, optimize marketing spend, and improve overall marketing efficiency. Prior to Networked Insights, she worked for CBS Radio as a digital marketing consultant providing search engine marketing opportunities to Chicagoland business owners. She is also the co-author of Public Health Impacts of Climate Change in Palau; affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC and Southern Illinois University.  Sarah has a BS in Advertising with a concentration in Sociology from Southern Illinois University.

Welcome Aboard, Sarah!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

 

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Jason Proctor

Today we introduce to you, Jason Proctor. Jason is a Chicago native, born and raised with his twin brother on the city’s south side where he attended Morgan Park High School. Currently, Jason serves on the Board of Directors for Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP as lead for the sub-committee on Technology. He has traveled abroad to Europe (Italy, Germany, and Spain) and had the opportunity to learn about other cultures first-hand. These experiences were transformational, and completely changed Jason’s perspective on the global community. Having benefited exponentially from his journey overseas, Jason is a firm believer and supporter of initiatives that seek to assist disadvantaged youth with exposure to traveling abroad.

Jason is an experienced IT Engineer and Technical Project Manager with over 12 years of experience working for fortune 100 firms, like Accenture and Microsoft.  In the past several years he founded a Chicago-based technology firm – Seraph Technology Solutions, which focuses on IT Managed Services, Web Presence/Design/Development, and Business Consulting.  As CIO, Jason oversees Project Management, IT Operations functions, and also advises on growth initiatives for the firm.  He is responsible for driving the definition and development of the technology platform through which the services are delivered. Jason studied at DePaul University and has a B.S. in Human Computer Interaction (Computer Science).

Welcome Aboard, Jason!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”

 

New Year, New Faces: BOD Member Daniel Pasquini-Salazar

Today we introduce, Daniel Pasquini-Salazar currently serving as board member and co-chair of Empowering Youth Through Travel, NFP. According to Daniel, the mission of EYTT immediately resonated with him on a personal level, having been the beneficiary of scholarships allowing him to participate in several international service learning and professional exchange programs. Daniel testifies firsthand to the positive impact that those travel opportunities had on his personal and professional development. His belief is that travel is a great opportunity for personal enrichment, but with the right preparation and community partnership, international travel unwraps a whole world of learning that is impossible to duplicate in the classroom. Local issues that affect Chicago’s neighborhoods are continually growing more global in context. Stepping out of one’s day-to-day environment to share in the experience of those in a different cultural and geographic location creates leaders that are able to analyze issues and solve problems with an ”act locally, think globally” perspective. Daniel hopes the travel opportunities EYTT provides are used as launching pads for the youth to bring back the knowledge and skills they’ve learned to better their own communities. He will make sure that EYTT holds the upmost respect for our partner countries abroad, so we may have the privilege to share in the process of how these communities grow and develop their own goals for the future.

Daniel has a decade of experience working with at-risk youth both in the US and internationally. He has worked closely with numerous non-profit, academic and government organizations on community-led development projects ranging from a variety of topics including: sports, food security, healthy living, education, violence prevention and university-community partnerships, to mention a few. Daniel is passionate about traveling and learning about various cultures and languages and loves working in resilient neighborhoods. He has lived and worked overseas in 6 different countries for a span of over 2 years, mostly in Latin America. He is currently employed as a project coordinator at La Casa Norte, an organization located in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community that is dedicated to serving youth and families experiencing homelessness. Daniel is a proud graduate of DePaul University’s International Public Service Program where he earned the honors of Magna Cum Laude, School of Public Service Fellow and University Ministry Presidential Fellow.

Welcome Aboard, Daniel!

Become followers of our blog today and keep up with the growth of our program. Follow our students as they chronicle their experiences by blogging here on our site. Hear first accounts of what they are learning on an individual, group, and community level as they prepare to engage in this life changing and transformational opportunity.

www.eytt.org

“Like” us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

“Empowering Youth Through Travel is a Chicago based 501(c)3 charity whose mission is to empower urban teens of color from disadvantaged backgrounds, through hands-on learning of current, worldly issues. As we seek to develop global leaders equipped with the skills to enact positive change at home and abroad.”