The Student Exchange Program is at the heart of Sister Cities International’s mission of creating bonds between people from different cities around the world. In addition, the program benefits host families and even local school communities. Students frequently report that their “twinning” experiences are “life-changing,” and they often make friendships that last a lifetime!
Your generous gift will help us fund student trips to Ireland. Together, we can make a difference.
The Chandler – Tullamore Student Ambassador Program is open to Chandler students who are juniors during the 2019-2020 academic year. Students will serve as a Youth Ambassador for the City of Chandler, AZ while interacting with their host country, Ireland. Irish students will travel to Chandler and live with Chandler student's families for the duration of the exchange. While here, students will engage in a variety of trips and activities that hope to give Irish students the best representation of Chandler and Arizona culture.
Chandler students will depart the Summer 2020 to spend approximately 14 days in Tullamore, Ireland. Chandler students will live with a host family, where they will be fully immersed in the Irish Culture. While abroad, Chandler students can expect an eye-opening experience learning all about our Sister City, their host family, and themselves.
Diamondbacks Baseball Game
Improv Mania
Tour of Chandler Fire Department
GoDaddy
Tour of Chandler Police Department
Top Golf
We are happy to welcome students from Tullamore to Chandler June 9-21 -- Emma Lynam, Michael Gaffey and Aisling Gallagher.
Our 2019 Student Ambassadors -- Sadie DeShon, Emily Sammon and Michael Fuller -- will travel with their chaperone, Dawn Odil, to Ireland June 30 - July 12.
City Tour
Musical Instrument Museum
Kartchner Caverns & Tombstone
Go Daddy Tour, ImprovMania
Weekend Excursion with Host Family
Main Event
TopGolf and Dance Folklorico
ICC Visit & Dbacks game
Chandler Museum
Aisling Gallagher - 2019 Exchange Student from Tullamore - documents her visit to Arizona, and then her trip back to Ireland with Exchange Student Sadie DeShon from Chandler.
Four students from several Chandler high schools were selected to travel to Chandler’s Sister City of Tullamore, Ireland in June, and then returned with students from Tullamore for a 10-day stay in Chandler in July. Our students served as Youth Ambassadors for the City of Chandler, while interacting with their host family in Tullamore, where they were immersed in the Irish culture. The Chandler students and their Tullamore “twins” are Sarah Fuller and Anita Watkins, Sophie Looney Abney and Olivia Summerville, Luke Ryan and Cillian Fogarty, and Cole Stewart with Jonny O’Connor. Before the Exchange began, Sarah Fuller commented, “I am looking forward to bonding with my Tullamore student. I will strive on my trip to grasp a thorough perspective of the differing aspects of our two lives.”
The host families from Chandler and Tullamore planned activities with their own student and their “twin” student. “Together we will be introduced and experienced new adventures and participated in activities that increased cultural understanding and educational exchanges,” noted Sophie Looney Abney. While here, they engaged in trips and activities to give the Irish students the best representation of Chandler and Arizona culture. And of course the visit was complete with a Fourth of July Celebration at an AZ Diamondbacks game complete with fireworks!
Among the activities for the “twinned” students in Chandler were tours of GoDaddy, the Irish Cultural Center, the Basha Collection of Western American and American Indian Art, and a fun-filled evening at Chandler’s ImprovMania. The Chandler and Tullamore students were greeted by Chandler’s Mayor Jay Tibshraeny at the July 9 Chandler City Council meeting.