U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobego Talks Education

U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobego

In early April I was asked to help select some of the An-Bryce Foundation’s future leaders by serving as one of several guest interviewers for the Washington, DC based organization.  The privilege of providing students, who scored highest in the interview process, with the opportunity to receive scholarships, internships, and potentially a job with the foundation, was something I jumped at.

I shared the dais with White House Fellow Jason Washington, Chief Medical Officer of the Northeast region for United Healthcare Dr. Joyce Larkin, and United States Ambassador to Trinidad & Tobago Beatrice W. Welters, among others.

The students were engaging, and smart, and after the interview process were able to talk more freely about themselves and what they liked to do when it was time for lunch.  The whole day made me reflect on my own experiences growing up, wishing I had had an opportunity like theirs to live just a short walk from the White House or iconic monuments in Washington, DC.

So many of today’s youth are vying for a spot in a top university or college, and now more than ever the ability to achieve a higher education is paramount in defining their success.  What makes this foundation so special, and one of the reasons why it was so important to highlight, is the fact that not only does it provide a financial relief to those students who continue to pursue their education, but also relief emotionally and socially from the pressures of the constant 24/7 global exchange of information that comes with growing up in both the internet and social media era. 

I later sat down with Ambassador Welters to talk more in-depth on the An-Bryce foundation, its history, and its goals.

What made you decide to start the An-Bryce Foundation?

My husband and I came from humble beginnings and decided many years ago to assist others with a like narrative.  For we believe that no one ever achieves success without the support of someone — a teacher, a parent or a complete stranger — who senses something special in an individual.  The An-Bryce Foundation provides mentoring and a combination of financial, emotional and social assistance to our young people as they pursue their educational and career aspirations.

How has your role as an Ambassador for the United States helped contribute to some of the efforts of the foundation?

In November of 2012, I returned home to the United States after spending 30 months in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  Being chosen by President Obama to represent the U.S. on that twin-island nation was one of the greatest honors ever bestowed on me.  It was quite simply a life-altering experience.  I learned very quickly about the bi-lateral relationship between our two governments.  Trinidad and Tobago (TT) is an important partner to the United States in the Caribbean region in terms of security and commercial interest.  I worked on major policy priorities for the region, including the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), the U.S. Partnership Framework on HIV/AIDS, and combating trafficking in persons.  In addition, I visited many schools and orphanages, and invited many luminaries from the U.S. to visit and present to members of the government of TT.  One of my goals before I arrived in TT was to bring the National Symphony Orchestra down to help celebrate their 50^th anniversary of independence in August of 2012.  This was unprecedented for it was the first time that the NSO had ever performed in a Caribbean island. 

Another project linking our two countries was “The Merikens,” a documentary film which I helped produce, that told the story of run-away slaves in the U.S. during the war of 1812.  These slaves fought with the British army against the U.S., on a promise to be relocated after the war.  Many of these slaves were relocated in the southern portion of Trinidad.  Their descendants were very happy to hear and see their story.  At present we are working on a grade school book for children in TT and the U.S. to learn about this historical nugget.

If it were not for my “call to service” from the President I would not have known or been inspired to do these projects.  I now know that there is so much to learn when one moves out of their comfort zone and some unbelievable things can be accomplished.  My focus more than ever before, is to encourage our youth to serve their country and to expose them to the careers of the Foreign Service officers.  I want to inspire them to learn about other countries — the history and the people.

Can you name some specific points of growth you believe the foundation has made since its conception in 1995?

We started out as a summer camp with (2) two-week sessions with 40 campers. After one summer it became apparent that we needed to add (2) additional two-week sessions, bringing the total camper count to 80.  Then we realized that our campers were aging out of our program, so we added a Rights of Passage program, where youth between the ages of 15 and 17 would live outdoors for a two-week period.  There they learned how to manage outside of their day-to-day environment:  pitching tents, cooking over a campfire, and learning about the plants, animals and reptiles.  Most importantly they learned that each of their team members has different skills and, when brought together, these differences contribute to the success of their entire two-week experience.  We then started a Staff Training Enrichment Program (STEP) which allows those youth older than 16 to come back to camp and assist the counselors.  We are happy to report that some of our counselors were once our campers.  We also have a summer internship program which allows campers who have completed the STEP program to apply as summer interns with some of our partner organizations.  These organizations range from hospitals to arts organizations to educational institutions.  And, to support our campers in the first through eighth grades throughout the school year, we have created the Saturday Institute, which focuses on math and reading skills development.  Lastly, it is our goal to have the participants in our summer programs apply to Morehouse College, New York University or Notre Dame, where we have endowed “An-Bryce Scholars” programs.  We now have over 100 participants.

What do you hope the students who are part of the foundation’s programming take away?

That nothing comes easy, you have to work hard and be focused to achieve success.  Do not be afraid to fail or to take risks.  Seek opportunities out of your comfort zone and always remember to give back.

For more information about our organization, our website is located at www.Anbryce.org.