In July the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council had the pleasure of hosting a week-long leadership and cultural exchange program sponsored by the US Embassy in Baghdad, the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP). Forty-four high school students and 5 Iraqi chaperones were hand- selected from cities across Iraq to travel to the US and participate in this program which is designed to develop skills in leadership, conflict resolution, team-building, and youth activism. Six of those students and one chaperone came to Pensacola as part of their month-long nation-wide program. They began with an orientation in Washington, D.C., and then traveled to Virginia, North Carolina, and, finally, Florida before heading back to D.C. then New York City. Each student and the group’s chaperone stayed with a host family while in Pensacola to give them the opportunity to learn about American culture and family life. In addition to the six Iraqi students, eleven American high school students were selected to participate in many of the week’s activities, giving all the students a chance to interact and learn about each other while building their leadership skills.
Our Iraqis students arrived in Pensacola on Thursday, July 8th where they were greeted at the airport by Diplomacy Council Executive Director Jena Melancon and Program Intern/IYLEP Team Leader Charla Hough. After a brief program introduction and refreshments in the Melancon home, they traveled to First United Methodist Church where their host families were eagerly waiting to greet them and bring them to their homes.
The next day marked the beginning of the program itinerary and the introduction of the Iraqi and American students to each other. Program Officer Barbara Henry and Program Intern Matt Rizzo, who were also with the group throughout the week, joined in helping the students get acclimated with introductions and some fun ice-breakers. The first official appointment was with Charles Howard and some of his students from the organization Students Taking Responsibility In Developing Excellence (STRIDE). This presentation gave the students an opportunity to learn about a local mentorship program designed to reach beyond age and culture to address tolerance, diversity, and techniques used to nurture an effective democracy, as well as to introduce the students to the concepts of youth mentoring and civic responsibility. Afterwards, the group toured Historic Pensacola Village to learn about the history of Pensacola and how it developed over the years. Thank you to Jim McMillen and Ryan Arvay, the group’s tour guides. They then went to Big Lagoon State Park for lunch, a cross-cultural game, and some free time by the water. Past Council intern Bruno Barros also accompanied the group to this event.
Saturday was a free day for the Iraqi students. Several of them took advantage of the Blue Angels air show on Pensacola Beach. On Sunday, both Iraqi and American students gathered to observe an event celebrated and enjoyed by both cultures and countless others around the world—the 2010 World Cup final match in South Africa. Special thanks to Vicki Barlow and her family for hosting this get-together in their home.
To start the week on Monday, the Iraqi students took a trip to the Digital Media Education (DMe) studio to learn about communication and video production through actual record industry techniques and media skills, equal to that of entry level job training. They worked with DMe mentors to create, film, and edit a group video diary which they were able take home with them at the end of the week and which was previewed at the final reception on Friday. Thank you to the DMe staff and John Lovrien who assisted our students throughout the week and provided the location for our reception. Monday afternoon the Iraqi and American students were reunited for a private tour of the Perdido Landfill where they learned about waste management and the proper care of the environment, a worldwide concern. Thank you to Jim Howes, Recycling Operations Manager for the Escambia County Division of Solid Waste Management, for welcoming our group, giving them an introduction to the landfill’s activities and accomplishments, and providing a personal tour for the students.
Tuesday began with a demographic orientation and official welcome from Councilwoman Maren DeWeese and her husband Jeff DeWeese. Students learned about the city of Pensacola and how the local government is run and had a chance to visit the chambers of the City Council. Next they went to the MANNA food pantry to meet local Chain Reaction students in order to let them experience volunteerism, an important aspect of American culture, and learn about the poverty and needs in the Pensacola community. We would like to thank Cathy Sowell for arranging this visit. They then traveled to Fort Pickens for a private tour with Park Ranger Jason Scott McCall. Thank you to Stanley Lawhead and Bob DeLaune for assisting in arranging this meeting. Later, after a little free time at the beach, the group ate dinner at Flounder’s Fish House and enjoyed some music on the beach with the Bands on the Beach concert series.
On their seventh day in town, the Iraqi students headed back to the DMe studio for the second part of their workshop and lunch after which they ventured out into the community to help feed homeless citizens. They later joined the American students at the University of West Florida to learn about their Diversity and International Education and Programs with Rita Crider, director of the International Student Office, and Rachel Errington, Marketing Coordinator/International Student Advisor. After a short tour of the campus, the students heard a presentation on public speaking from Dr. Brendan Kelly, Chair of the Communication Arts Department. That evening all the Iraqi and American students joined several local STRIDE students in lacing up their bowling shoes for a night of fun at Cordova Lanes.
The following day consisted of an all-day canoe trip with Blackwater River Canoe Rental which helped the students enhance their understanding of the Northwest Florida environment while teaching them how to work effectively in teams. That night everyone gathered at the Barlow family home once more to have a cookout/ice cream social and relax with some games.
On their last day of appointments, thanks to Jan Lloyd, the students visited the Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site in Milton to explore more of the area’s history and participate in an archaeological lab activity. Afterwards they met Chief Bearheart of the Perdido Tribe Creek Indians at their Cultural Center in Pensacola to learn about to the rich diversity of the US and to increase their understanding of the contributions and challenges faced by minorities. For their final activity, the students were honored at a reception at Digital Media Education to celebrate the week with community leaders, Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council members, host families, and professional contacts. The video diary of their week’s activities was also presented and each student received a copy, as well as a certificate of participation and, for the American students, copies of their documented community service hours from the week. Thank you to Councilwoman DeWeese and Deputy-Mayor Jewel Cannada-Wynn for presenting.
Saturday morning, Council staff and American students gathered at the airport to bid farewell to our students from Iraq. It was difficult to say goodbye after such an enjoyable and rewarding week of leadership, team, and friendship building, but we are certain that the connections and memories made in Pensacola will last a lifetime.
Thank you to First United Methodist Church for serving as our morning meeting spot, and a very special thank you goes to all of our host parents who so generously opened their homes to the students and made them feel welcome: Vicki Barlow, Vivian and Stephen Hughes, Ted Kirchharr, Belinda and Daniel Mahon, Wendy and Chris McCullar, Sonja Nelson, and Dechay and Richard Watts. Thank you also to our American students who showed incredible maturity, character, and friendliness to our visitors throughout the week.
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