Embassy of the United States

First Lady Michelle Obama meets with Brazilian exchange students in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Jan. 13, 2010.

The students, volunteers and Ambassador Shannon at a group photo.

The U.S. has a basic philosophy that every person can make a difference and we invest heavily in people, particularly in young people that we think will be the future leaders of both the U.S. and Brazil.

Youth Ambassadors

One of our most visible programs is the Youth Ambassadors which recognizes outstanding young people from the public school system.  Each year, the U.S. Mission selects 35 young people from 15-18 years old who demonstrate academic excellence, good English capability, strong character, and a commitment to community service.  These amazing young people travel to the U.S. for a 3-week program where they meet with government leaders in Washington, DC and then spend two weeks in a complete American experience:  living with an American family and attending a US high school. Recruitment begins in April each year. For more information on the program and to see the latest pictures of this year’s participants, please access the program’s hotsite at www.jovensembaixadores.org.

Now in its ninth edition, the Brazil program has become a best practice model at State Department and is being replicated in twelve other countries. Also, through the assistance of the Fulbright EducationUSA Centers, we have been able to offer some of these outstanding students scholarship opportunities for short-term and full undergraduate degree programs in the U.S. In 2009 alone, scholarship offers reached over US$1.5 million.

In 2009, over 4,000 students from across Brazil applied for the program.

English Immersion

Responding positively to the increasing number of candidates for the Youth Ambassadors Program, in 2006, the Embassy created the English Immersion USA Program - EIP. This week-long English Camp, held in July of each year, offers the runners up of the Youth Ambassadors’ selection process an immersion experience in U.S. culture and society. The program includes the following activities:

• Participation in a 4th of July-style picnic;
• Lectures/classes/cultural-social activities including:
• Learning English through games;
• Civic and global values through English;
• U.S. history, geography and culture through, presentations, songs and films;
• Popular sports and games in the U.S. (baseball, basketball, American football/cheerleading, bowling, etc.);
• Cooking classes;
• Opening and closing ceremonies.

Normally, the English camps are held in five regional centers in Brazil, however for 2010 as part of the 50th anniversary of Brasilia, all 104 will go to Brasilia for the immersion program.  In addition to English and American culture, the program will include a component on the history of Brasilia.  Here is a link to the program.

National Youth Science Camp

The National Youth Science Camp is an intense residential science education program for young scientists. In a rustic setting, students are challenged academically in exciting lectures and hands-on studies, and have many opportunities to push themselves physically in an extensive outdoor program, gain a new and deep appreciation for the great outdoors, and establish friendships that last a lifetime.

The students selected travel to West Virginia in July for a five-week program. In addition to an intensive academic program, participants are also engaged in games, competitions and field trips, and travel to other cities in the U.S. All program expenses are covered by the U.S. Embassy and the Department of State. For more information, visit http://www.nysc.org

Opportunity Scholarships

Opportunity Scholarships are grants that support talented international students who need financial help to take the next steps toward study in the U.S. at an accredited institution of higher learning. These grants are available to help cover the upfront costs of seeking higher education in the U.S. and are part of EducationUSA’s broad range of assistance to international students.

For more information, access the program website at http://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers/.

English Access Microscholarship Program

The U.S. State Department's English Access Microscholarship Program provides a two-year English language scholarship to non-elite, 14-18 year old students worldwide through afterschool classes and intensive summer learning activities. Access students gain an appreciation for American culture and democratic values, increase their ability to participate successfully in the socio-economic development of their countries, and gain the ability to compete for and participate in future U.S. exchange and study programs. Since its inception in 2004, approximately 44,000 students in more than 55 countries have participated in the Access Program.

In Brazil, the program has already been successfully implemented in São Paulo, Salvador, Recife and Porto Alegre and, in 2010, in Manaus and Rio de Janeiro.

For more information on the program, please access its website at http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/eam.html.