Edwin Morataya

Youth Ambassador Alum receives prestigious U.S. scholarship

Youth Ambassador Alum Edwin Morataya receives the prestigious Walton International Scholarship Program. He had previously participated in the three-week Youth Ambassadors exchange program in March 2018. The Youth Ambassadors program develops youth leadership capacity and builds bonds of friendship and understanding between people of the Americas. It is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Edwin was chosen because of his dedication to self-improvement and his commitment to his school, community, and church; in many ways these qualities set him apart from other applicants. During his time in the U.S., he developed his leadership skills and was a cultural ambassador for his country, sharing traditions and customs with the many people he met in Alabama, Idaho, and Washington, DC.

After overcoming the challenge of being far from home, Edwin focused on learning as much as he could from every experience. In the process, he discovered that he was quite resilient and could adapt to new situations rapidly.

Being in a different country with a language and customs different from the ones I have might sound […] shocking and overwhelming, but a positive and open mind, plus the willingness to learn, really helped me out to overcome those situations.
Edwin Moratoya, YA Alum

Once Edwin returned home, he was part of a team that designed a project to increase and improve environmentally-sound practices in the community. Upon graduating from high school in November 2018, he considered his options for the future and applied for the Walton International Scholarship Program. The Walton program aims to empower young minds to initiate meaningful impact across Central America and its mission aligned with Edwin’s goal to grown and learn as much as he could to give back to his community and country.

Recently Edwin received word that he was awarded a full scholarship to attend Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas where he will study computer science starting in August 2019. When thinking about being away from home again, he says he no longer feels scared about studying abroad:

The program helped me lose the fear of interacting with people from other countries in a different environment. My future looks good, and all this would not have been possible without a life-changing experience called Youth Ambassadors. Participating in it made me realize the extraordinary amount of opportunities we can pursue abroad, and it expanded my horizons by giving me tools that are essential.
Edwin Moratoya, YA Alum

Related Program

Youth Ambassadors

Youth Ambassadors is a cultural exchange program designed to strengthen the leadership skills of young people from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. It builds bonds of friendship and understanding between people of the Americas and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.