Jovenes en Accion

Participants in this year’s Jovenes en Accion cohort met with high level representatives of the U.S. Department of State while in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. State Department and the Secretariat for Public Education of Mexico, together with the collaboration of the private sector of both countries, will offer again Jovenes en Accion (Youth in Action) during the summer of 2012.  This program provides low-income Mexican youth enrolled in the sophomore or junior year of high school the opportunity to experience the United States and develop their leadership skills.

Selected students will participate in activities designed expressly to meet the current needs and concerns of Mexican youth. Features of the program included the following:

• Living alongside Americans to provide cultural context and give students the chance to gain first-hand experience while learning about U.S. society and values;

• Participation in community service-learning which will lead to the development of small community projects to implement upon return to Mexico;

• A week-long orientation in Washington, D.C. focused on specific priority themes;

• Follow-on activities after the conclusion of the exchange portion of the program. 

Thematic emphasis is placed on civic engagement and youth leadership, so that the program will:

• Empower participants with an increased sense of their own capacity to achieve personal success and to serve as leaders of their communities;

• Assist in developing strong ties between Mexican and American youth, thus contributing to mutual understanding among both countries;

• Give participants the tools to engage in meaningful dialogue about the benefits of cross-border partnership in a globalized economy.