Hi! I am a 17-year-old recent graduate of Colegio Mayor Secundario Presidente del Perú – COAR Lima, a prestigious public boarding school for high-achieving students. Growing up in Peru, I have nurtured a strong passion for innovation, education, and creating social impact. With interests spanning leadership, human rights, STEM, and community development, I am committed to leveraging my skills and experiences to empower others and contribute to meaningful change.

What is ODYLP

The On-Demand Youth Leadership Program (ODYLP): Digital Literacy is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by Legacy International, that brings together approximately 24 youth participants (ages 15-18) and adult mentors from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and the United States together for a three-week U.S.-based exchange focused on digital literacy and the use of social media to address community issues.

My favorite parts of the program

Volunteer activities

All the young people participated in Operation Sack Lunch, a non-profit organization that seeks to support people in vulnerable situations in Seattle. We went to a site in the city where we collaborated on preparing turkey sandwiches, packing snacks, and helping with tasks such as cutting bread or moving materials. The objective was to distribute the food to people in street situations.

Although I have volunteered in my country, this experience was special because of the opportunity to do it outside my borders. I felt deeply grateful and proud to be able to do my bit in another country.

Visit to the US Department of State

We participated in an active conversation with the staff, talking about ourselves, our background, what we plan to do, our project, and what we think of the program. In my case, I was a little nervous about it, but obviously, the staff was super nice. We were able to sit there and talk to the officials, and they gave us some souvenirs, like books and pens.

Final showcase

When we returned to our countries, we had to present our community projects. I presented the organization that I co-founded, Hale Opportunities. With my team, we created the This is 4 You project, where we held three talks with speakers about academic opportunities for Peruvians, such as scholarships and exchange programs. Then, the NGO started to grow a little more.

Financial Aid

The scholarship, titled Jóvenes Conectados por el Cambio in Peru, included provisions for travel, accommodation, meals, and health insurance. We, the participants, stayed with host families for two weeks and engaged in workshops and cultural exchanges for free.

Tips for applying

The advice I can give regarding the application is, first, to keep in mind that if you want to be chosen, you should be aware that the process will take time. However, it is not impossible or overly complicated. The key is not to be overwhelmed by the idea of writing six answers with a word limit.

My main recommendation is to be honest in your answers, be very clear about the program's mission, and align each of your answers to that mission. Remember that you are applying to something that already has stated objectives, and your job as an applicant is to understand those objectives and map how they relate to your ideas and experiences.

Extracurriculars I included in the application

• Summer School Parliament, President of the Women's Commission: I participated in 2023 as chair of this commission, where I learned about legislative experience and bill drafting.

• CREATECH Public Speaking Competition, Speaker: I presented the contest and strengthened my public communication skills.

• NGO Sociedad Juvenil, Communication Sciences Councilor: I was an active part of this youth organization, contributing to the planning and management of activities.

• Conversation in Congress, Speaker: I participated as a speaker in an event led by Congresswoman Adriana Tudela, held in the Miguel Grau Chamber of Congress, which reinforced my commitment to youth leadership.

• Helping Postulantes, Founder:

  I created a free organization to prepare aspiring college students by offering classes during the summer taught by high school classmates. This project helped underprivileged youth and strengthened my sense of social responsibility.