Exactly what is Youth Corps?
CARE Youth Corps is a program that gives high school students the opportunity to experience a foreign country and culture and learn about some of the challenges that poor people in the developing world face.
During July 2000, 10 Youth Corps participants traveled with CARE to Peru, where they had the chance to work on self-help development projects alongside Peruvian families working to improve their lives.
Who went on the trip?
Ten high school students from the Chicago area participated in this first Youth Corps trip, called Youth Corps 2000. These students spent three weeks in Peru with CARE.
How were the members of Youth Corps 2000 chosen?
Since Youth Corps is a pilot program started by the CARE Chicago office, admission to Youth Corps 2000 was open only to Chicago-area high school students. CARE Chicago selected a diverse group of 10 outstanding students from a pool of qualified applicants. Selection was based on merit alone. All Youth Corps 2000 participants must:
- Demonstrate CARE's core values: respect, integrity, commitment, excellence.
- Be a current sophomore or junior in high school.
- Have proficiency in Spanish (at least two semesters or demonstrate speaking ability).
- Be willing to share their experience by representing CARE at their school and other CARE events throughout the region.
Who were the Youth Corps 2000 participants?
| Alexis Almeida | The Latin School of Chicago |
| Carina Ayala | Bowen High School |
| Nichole Bush | Whitney Young Magnet High School |
| Jeremy Chavis | University of Chicago Laboratory School |
| Wills Glasspiegel | Francis W. Parker High School |
| Carlos Guzman | Francis W. Parker High School |
| Elisa Harkness | York Community High School |
| Katie Jenness | Francis W. Parker High School |
| Polina Kropacheva | The Latin School of Chicago |
| Erica Serrano | The Latin School of Chicago |
What was the purpose of Youth Corps 2000's trip to Peru?
CARE wanted this trip to Peru to be an educational experience for all participants. Therefore, the students had short homestays with families and worked alongside Peruvians on CARE-sponsored projects in Lima and the province of Cajamarca. Youth Corps members also visited historic sites during their trip, including Spanish colonial buildings in Lima. In the Andes Mountains, they toured Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, ruins of the legendary Inca Empire. Youth Corps participants also met Peruvian students and local community leaders and officials.
How did the Youth Corps 2000 prepare for their trip to Peru?
In order to become better acquainted before their trip, the members of Youth Corps 2000 participated in a number of "icebreaking" activities. In April, the group held a kick-off reception and viewed a Peruvian movie at the Chicago Latino Film Festival.
Later that month, they participated in a "ropes" course, which consisted of a series of team-building challenges. Among the ropes course activities, the students pretended to cross a contaminated river on three wooden boards. In addition, they hoisted their group into a tiny lifeboat off the side of an imaginary sinking ship. "We really had to put our minds to work and use teamwork," observed Youth Corps member Carlos Guzman. "If we would have gone on a three-week trip without knowing each other, it would have been very difficult."
Before leaving for Peru, the students also attended workshops on health and safety precautions in Latin America, development, the history and culture of Peru and international finance.
How do I become a Youth Corps member?
For more information about the CARE Youth Corps program, please contact Lisa Smith, Program Coordinator at the Chicago CARE office:
Lisa Smith
CARE
Youth Corps
70 East Lake Street, Suite 1430
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 641-1430
E-mail: smith@mw.care.org
CARE would like to thank the following organizations for their support of the CARE Youth Corps:
United Airlines
Heller Financial
The Kellcie Fund
Recycled Paper Greetings
Rock Island Securities
Lonely Planet
Amigos de las Americas
Rumba Entertainment