ST. PETERSBURG, FL (January 17, 2017) – Thursday, February 16, 2017, is the deadline for high school juniors living in St. Petersburg and interested in serving as Student Ambassadors in Takamatsu, Japan, to apply for St. Petersburg’s annual summer Sister City cultural exchange program. To be considered, completed applications must be received by 3 pm, Thursday, February 16.
Prospective Student Ambassadors must reside in St. Petersburg and be currently enrolled as a high school junior. Along with the application, students must submit an original essay, a class photo, a high school transcript listing honors and activities, and two reference letters, including one from a school faculty member. Two letters of introduction to the prospective host family, one written by the student and one from the parent, must accompany the application. All eligible students are encouraged to apply. Completed applications must be received by SPIFFS, by mail: St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society Inc., Attention: Lotta Baumann, 330 Fifth Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, or hand-delivered to St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society, Inc., 559 Mirror Lake Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Since becoming a Sister City in 1961, St. Petersburg Student Ambassadors have learned about life in Takamatsu by living with a host family, going to high school, sightseeing and sharing cultural experiences about life in the United States. Former Ambassadors have used the visits to further their cultural education by studying international relations, international business or Japanese studies. For more information on the Student Ambassador program and an application, visit www.stpete.org/irc or contact Lotta Baumann at SPIFFS, 727-552-1896 or folkfair@ij.net.