Hi! I'm Denisse, I'm from Cusco, Peru. I am currently studying at Hope College, in the United States. I’m a high school graduate from San Gabriel School in Cusco. I had a sabbatical year after graduation and decided to apply to Take Action Lab. I am passionate about access to education and language learning.

What is TAL and why I applied

Take Action Lab is a gap year program that brings together people from all over the world to live in Cape Town, South Africa, for three months. We are also given an apprenticeship, which involves volunteering based on our interests from Monday to Thursday. For most of my gap year, I dedicated to my NGO. During the application process to the US, I realized that I would like to travel and have a multicultural experience before college. Then, while searching, I found Take Action Lab and when I read about it, I liked the idea of working with people from all over the world and continuing volunteering, which is something I love. Knowing I could be in another place for three months living with people from different backgrounds encouraged me to apply. Besides, it was a good extracurricular activity, but above all, I think traveling and meeting people attracted me the most to apply.

My favorite parts of the program

Cultural Diversity

In my cohort, there were 50 people, and most of them were from different countries around the world. In this case, we were five Peruvians, but some people were only one from each country. So being able to share with them and live together helped to create a super nice community. They were super amazing people, involved in volunteering and community service. What I value most about the program and why I recommend many people to participate is the community you get to know, and the friends you make.

Apprenticeship Program

This experience has helped me to gain different skills and knowledge, like knowing how a non-profit works. The SOZO Foundation was focused on education, and I joined because it is a topic that I am very passionate about. I was in charge of giving workshops that provide job skills to the South African community, such as barista training, hairdressing, baking, etc. I believe it also opens your mind to new realities. Moreover, we decided to organize a fundraising event for the organization. We also had the opportunity to talk with the organization's CEO.

Explore New Places

They took us to various tourist places, such as beaches, mountains, and museums. Cape Town is a city rich in history, and we learned a lot about it. I loved going out on the weekends with a group of friends to explore the city, eat traditional food, and connect with the culture. For example, we had a drumming class.

Financial Aid

I received the full tuition aid and had to cover my tickets and daily expenses. I did a fundraising campaign on my social media and received donations, including the support of my school. I know that there are people who have been able to have the full scholarship, but having your full tuition covered is a great help. You can also contact the organization and ask for a little more help. Before the full tuition, I contacted them because I had a little less.

My process applying

I first answered the general questions about my background, and then I focused on writing the essays. However, making a video answering some questions consumed most of my time and took me even a week to finish. Editing the video, recording it, finding all the images, and telling my story were the most time-consuming parts of the application, but I also feel like it's one of the things that are most important in your process.

Application Tips

• Focus on the video: It doesn't have to be a super serious video in which you talk while looking at the camera all the time, you have the creative freedom to edit and even put appropriate jokes or effects.

• Be authentic: Talk about your likes and passions because, if accepted, the volunteer assignment is related to the interests you mention in your application.

• Reach out: Do not hesitate to contact the TAL team if you do not understand a part of the application or have a short doubt. They are super attentive and very friendly.

Extracurriculars and Honors I mentioned

• 🏆 Valedictorian, San Gabriel High School

• 🏆 Opportunity Funds Program, EducationUSA

• 🏆 Academy Connects Scholar, EducationUSA

• 🌟 Founder & Director, Kusi Learning: Established and led an organization focused on providing educational resources and support to underserved communities, impacting hundreds of students over two years.

• 🌟 Volunteer Tutor, Education Outreach Programs: Provided academic tutoring and mentoring to students in rural and low-income areas.

• 🌟 Member, School Clubs on Education and Service Actively participated in student-led clubs advocating for better education systems.

• 🌟 Choir Member, Cusco City Choir: Sang as part of the city’s official choir for three years, performing in cultural events and festivals.

• 🌟 Linguistics Enthusiast: Engaged in language learning, earning certifications in multiple languages, including Quechua.