Youth Ambassador Program

Applications for 2012 Youth Ambassador Program will be available in February.

The Washington International is delighted to welcome Shannon Miglarese as the 2011 WIHS Youth Ambassador. The 17-year-old senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., has been riding since the age of five. “There is nowhere in the world I feel more at home than in the saddle. It is my absolute passion!”
Miglarese rides and trains with Holly Chester and Kevin Bruce of Poolesville, Md.

The youth ambassador chairs the WIHS Junior Committee, a group of 10 local teens from D.C., Md. and
Va., which pitches in on projects from stuffing envelopes to scanning photos in the months leading up to the show. During the show, they lend a hand to ensure the smooth operation of Kids’ Day by teaching grooming techniques and serving Georgetown Cupcakes to local children.

Each year the committee develops a group project and this year they will work together to create a special day for the equestrian team from Special Olympics Maryland, Howard County, with an all-access backstage tour and meet and greets with riders and trainers.

The youth ambassador program began in 2009 to bring a younger point of view to the planning of the
show, especially Kids’ Day. Past youth ambassadors are Jamal Brown (2009) and Anna Rossi (2010).

Learn more >

Requirements:
The YA must be a student between the ages of 14 and 18. Candidates do not need horse show experience or to be a rider but it is helpful . They should be well versed in the horse world and understand and be able to articulate when asked questions about the show or classes at the show. They should be comfortable with the press, TV, radio, print and active in social media.

Commitments:
The YA will need to work in the WIHS office located in Georgetown at least once a week during the summer and be available more frequently during the months of September and October. The YA will need to attend the show which runs from October 23-28 at Verizon Center. The YA will have opportunities to attend business meetings and conference calls and be in a position to present ideas and concepts to the staff. During the show, the YA will give tours, attend events, present ribbons, help build our youth events, do autographing sessions, meet with press and do interviews under the direction of the Marketing Director. There may also be show-related duties such as assistance with VIP guests, show operations and media relations. There will also be opportunities to view and enjoy the show.

The WIHS YA has been featured in Kids Post, John Kelly’s Washington, on cable and Internet broadcasts, news radio and local television.

A transportation stipend, subject to prior staff approval will be provided. This commitment could be eligible for community service credit.