2012-11-15 05:44 Fort Worth, Texas – Students selected to visit 7 Sister Cities 74  students recently completed a vigorous selection process and have been invited to represent the City of  Fort Worth as Ambassadors to seven of eight  of Fort Worth’s sister cities. Youth Ambassador exchanges open the door to the future for students giving them the opportunity to explore history and experience languages, food, culture and arts of the country they visit.  Students live with host families to fully appreciate and develop an    understanding of the culture and its traditions. Exchanges range from 9 to 15 days. The selection process includes written essays, teacher recommendations, report cards and in-person interviews conducted by the teachers who lead the delegations abroad. Students make friends around the world while developing essential skills to be successful in a global society.  “We had nearly 80 students apply this year for international exchanges.  It is a very competitive process and we feel we have an outstanding class to represent Fort Worth abroad next year,” said Eva Bonilla, Chair of the Programs and Exchanges committee of Fort Worth Sister Cities. The 2013 exchanges are scheduled for March and June to Reggio Emilia & Florence Italy; Budapest, Hungary & Vienna, Austria; Trier, Cologne & Frankfurt, Germany; Nagaoka & Tokyo, Japan; and Mbabane, Swaziland & Johannesburg, South Africa.  A group will also  travel to Guiyang, Beijing and Xian, China in July. This year’s Ambassadors represent students from FWISD, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, and several private schools.  Scholarship assistance of nearly $85,000 is awarded annually insuring a diverse group of students representing Fort Worth.