– Six Students to Travel to China and Northern Ireland this Summer –
GILBERT, ARIZ. — Following a rigorous four-month selection process, Gilbert Sister Cities has selected six high school juniors to serve as 2026 Youth Ambassadors. Maya Dykman, Mackenzie Redford, and Allie Thivierge will spend two to three weeks with their host families in Antrim-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, in June before returning home and hosting their visiting ambassadors in Gilbert in July. Amelia Bray, Eurah Kim, and Michael Wang will travel to Leshan, China, in July to spend time with their host families before returning to Gilbert with their visiting ambassadors.
“This year’s ambassadors remind me that global understanding is built in curiosity, humility, hard work, and the courage to show up,” said Elaine Kessler, President of the Gilbert Sister Cities board. “Their dedication and exemplary effort transformed intention into meaningful connection, and aspiration into real accomplishment. Getting to know each student was not only a delight, but a warm reassurance – a promise that the values we steward today will be carried forward with wisdom, compassion, and purpose. Because of these youth, I know with certainty that our future is in thoughtful, capable, and inspired hands.”
Bray is part of the Advanced Theater program at Desert Ridge High School, participating in four productions each year. She is also the Photo Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook, leading a staff of 100 students throughout the school year. This year, she adopted a rooster through Desert Ridge’s FFA program. Outside of school, Bray participates in the Teen Life program at her church.
Dykman attends Gilbert High School and participates in several school clubs. For three years, she has been a member of the varsity volleyball team, and this year she joined the National Honor Society and Link Crew, where she supports incoming freshmen as they adjust to high school. She also plays for Aspire Volleyball and helped her team qualify for nationals this summer.
Kim serves as class vice president at Benjamin Franklin High School, and will serve as student body vice president next year, and is a member of the varsity cheer team, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the school newspaper. She also played on the school’s basketball team for two years. Beyond her school extracurriculars, Kim fosters cats through Saving One Life, participates in the University of Arizona’s Saturday Scrubs program, and has been both a participant and intern in the Irene H. Bailey Cardiology Academy. She also gives back to the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) as its very first Student Assistant, after two years as a member.
Redford attends Gilbert Classical Academy, where she serves as President of the Internal Affairs, a Student Government Committee, and Jr. Editor in Chief of the school yearbook. She is a three-year member of the varsity volleyball team and currently serves as its captain, and represents her peers on the District Athletic Leadership Council. Redford founded and leads her school’s Red Cross Chapter and volunteers with Enhabit Hospice. She is also a Girl Scout Ambassador and participates as a member of MYAC on the Community Service Committee.
Thivierge has been an active member of Student Council at Gilbert High Schoo since ninth gradel, serving as Class Representative, Historian, and now Vice President. She is also a member of Link Crew and the National Honor Society. On the athletic side, Thivierge has competed on both the Gilbert High School swim team and with Gold Medal Swim Club since ninth grade. In the community, she volunteers with the Arizona Beagle Rescue, visits senior residents at a local memory care center in Gilbert, and helps prepare and serve meals at iHELP in Tempe.
Wang attends Gilbert Classical Academy, where he is deeply involved in student leadership and extracurricular life. He serves as President of the Asian Student Association and is an officer in the Multicultural Club. He is also a member of the National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and participates in High School Senate and serves as a School Legionnaire. This year, Michael joined the Future Doctors Club, Tutoring Club, and Outdoor Club. He is also a longtime member of the Gilbert Classical Academy Swim and Dive Team and serves as Boys Captain this year. His passion for science and medicine has also taken him to Barrow Neurological Institute, where he participates in a summer internship program focused on Alzheimer’s research.
Before beginning the student exchange, Gilbert Sister Cities Youth Ambassadors participated in the Gilbert Global Village Festival on Saturday, April 11, at the Gilbert Civic Center. After returning, they participate in the Gilbert Days Parade, visit schools and youth programs to share information about the program, and serve as mentors for the next group of candidates.
Gilbert Sister Cities will begin accepting applications for 2027 in the fall; any junior living in Gilbert or attending a Gilbert or Higley school is welcome to apply.
About Gilbert Sister Cities
Established in 1998 as a community-supported nonprofit organization, Gilbert Sister Cities brings the world together through cultural, educational, trade, and sports programs that promote international and intercultural knowledge and understanding. Gilbert has two sister cities: Antrim-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland (1998), and Leshan, China (2002); as of this summer, it has sent over 70 high school students abroad. More information is available at gilbertsistercities.org.
