Student Ambassador Exchange Program
We are so excited to announce SACO's Student Ambassador Exchange Program.
What's It All About?
What is it all about?
Our student exchange program has just come to life over the past year! A committee has been working so incredibly hard in providing the opportunity for local high school students (freshmen-juniors) to visit republics of former Yugoslavia. SACO holds its pride in keeping members ties with their roots, and that exactly what this program is about. We want our younger generation to be curious about where their ancestors came from, and have the incredible option of visiting some of those places.
The goal of this program is to have our youth become ambassadors of our organization, to continue the traditions that we have set forth, and provide others with the knowledge and passion for their cultural background and community.
How do you qualify?
Those students that are freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are able to apply for this incredible opportunity! Students are chosen through a very selective process beginning with an application provided to them by their high school. Upon receiving the application, they must thoroughly complete it, with letters of recommendation, parent letter, and personal essay attached. Requirements include GPA, extracurricular activities, and being a member of SACO. Once the application is reviewed, if accepted, the student will move onto the interview process, where they are interviewed by a panel of our committee members. Points are awarded for each of these process, totaled up, and then students are chosen based on their total points.
Once accepted into the exchange program, students will be given some responsibilities, including, but not limited to: helping at functions, attending orientations prior to the trip, becoming an ambassador for the SAEP/SACO organization.
how is the money raised?
Currently, we as a committee, are able to fund about 50% of each student's exchange trip, which includes airfare, lodging, (some) food, activities, transportation, tours and excursions.
In order for SAEP to be able to contribute that amount to each student, we hold 2 big dinners, one in the fall (Surf N' Turf) and one in the winter, where much of our proceeds come from. Throughout the year, we also accept donations, and raffle or silent auction prizes at the these events, also add to our funds.
Above is a link to the article in the Monterey Herald about our February 2018 dinner.
Below, you'll find an article written on Dubrovnik Net, an online news portal, about our group of students who visited Konavle summer of 2018.