The Passport Party Project is a National Geographic award winning initative, that provides passports and first-time international travel experiencess to underserved American girls ages 11-15, in an effort to help create responsive and responsible global citizens that travel with heart.
Facts
Less than 40% of American’s hold a US Passport. According to the Passport Party Project site, in the 2013-2014 school year, 74.3% of all the study abroad students were caucasian. The rest of the demographics are broken down as such:
-8.3% Hispanic
-7.7% Asian/Pacific Islander
-5.6% African American
-3.6% Multiracial
-0.5% American Indian/Alaska Native
In phase I of the program, The Passport Party Project gifte 100 girls from underserved areas with passports during an 18 month campaign through ten cities. It concluded with six girls taking an international trip to Belize and volunteering at Liberty Children’s Home.
During phase II, the six girls traveled to Toronto, Canada and donated books to the Planeterra Foundation’s Community Library Project in Egypt.
Phase III, saw the fifteen girls once again traveling to Toronto Canada.
Now in it’s fourth phase, the program-founded by Tracy Friley, announced that in addition to giving passports to 100 girls, they will also be giving them to 100 boys every day for the next 365 days! This is amazing opportunity for young people to be able travel as well as take part in a wonderful global citizenship initiative.
Once selected, the students are paired with a Teen Travel Mentor and aids them in becoming better global citizens.
Phase 4 opened on July 15, 2016 and will conclude on July 15, 2017 or whenever all 365 passports have been gifted. Criteria for the program includes:
- Minor applicant and has a minimum GPA of a 2.5 (prior school years ending report card is required).
- Parental permission: if from a fingle parent houshold, must be prepared to provide certified court documents that allows for passport application acceptance.
- Must be willing to complete passport application process in timefram established by TPP.
To apply for the program click here. Good luck and happy traveling!!
Love of impromptu dance parties, 80’s cartoons, and horizontal life pauses (aka naps); Natasha Brown is a stay at home mom of 4 kids, and wife to one lucky guy! In her spare time, she is co-editor of Grits & Grace, as well as editor for The Mother Hustler Blog and Creative Director for the Mother Hustler podcast.
What awesome rings!
Praise God! I love this. I intend on gifting passports for my upcoming birthday and have partnered with an organization with a similar goal, gifting passports to our youth. Congrats on the success of your initiative!
Such an awesome program! I work with at-risk adults and youth and have often thought it would be so wonderful if they had opportunities to do things like study abroad, but realize how expensive it can be. I think traveling is one of the best ways to get to know the world – thank you for posting this!
What a life changing program for these young people! Not only are they broadening their horizons by traveling, they are giving of their time in service to others.
I love this program. Thanks for introducing it to me. I did not know it even existed. I love those rings, too!
Wow! What an amazing opportunity this is providing for teen girls! Didn’t know those statistics–so interesting.