ABOUT
AMIGOS gives you an exciting chance to have an adventure and explore the world outside of a classroom. You will live in a new country and work on sustainable community service projects while living with a host family. These experiences prepare you for your future, improve your Spanish, and build your confidence. You develop leadership skills that will set you apart in college and throughout your career. With AMIGOS, you will learn about the world by living in it. Click here to explore our 2019 Summer Programs.
READY TO START YOUR APPLICATION?
- Click here to start your application. Make sure you are applying for the Chicago North Chapter
- Complete your application and pay your $50 application fee. If you are applying for financial aid, complete the financial aid section within the application.
- Attend an Info Session.
- Complete an interview!
APPLICATION DEADLINES
November 5th: Financial Aid Application Deadline
December 3rd: Final Application Deadline
INFO SESSIONS
Please attend one of our online info sessions. Be sure to watch the Info Session titled “Summer Program.” Once you watch this, please fill out this form and we will contact you with more information.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis. After attending and online info session and completing your application, a Chicago North Chapter representative will contact you to set up an interview.
CONTACT
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact recruitment@amigos-chicagonorth.org.
AMIGOS is a leader in international youth development, creating a world in which young people realize their full potential as leaders and global citizens. We provide extraordinary opportunities for youth to design and lead projects in collaboration with US and Latin American peers and partner organizations across the Americas. Our strong partner network, built over 50 years, enables authentic engagements in communities across the region.
The AMIGOS Chicago North Chapter recruits, trains, and supports AMIGOS participants and their families from the suburbs of Chicago. Our chapter accepts participants August through early January of prior to each summer experience. During the months of January through May, Chicago North Chapter participants will take part in local training and fundraising events as they prepare for their AMIGOS experience.
Training
The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home.
With 50 years of experience preparing young people for travel and service abroad, AMIGOS training offers unparalleled global youth leadership development. Pre-departure training equips participants with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe. The Chicago North Chapter AMIGOS training is youth-led, experiential learning that prepares participants for their AMIGOS experience, builds a community of youth and families with shared values, and develops life-skills to help participants succeed beyond AMIGOS. Training sessions are facilitated by the Training Team, Chicago North Chapter Board of Directors and guest speakers from the community.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDE:
- Unparalleled leadership development
- Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
- Hands-on training for technical aspects of the program
- Extensive health and safety training
- Opportunities to practice Spanish
- Creating a community of young people with shared values
THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR TRAINING ACTIVITIES INCLUDES:
- Five Sunday trainings from 10am-5pm
- One weekend day for team Community Based Initiative
- Two overnight retreats
- Service-learning requirements
- Required Spanish activities
- Four online assessments to determine readiness for the summer
- Dates and times for Training Activities can be found by clicking the Calendar tab at the top of this page.
More information about the Board and Training Team can be found by clicking on each name.
Board of Directors
| Jeff Singleton President President@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Doug Graham Treasurer treasurer@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Kay Wilson Letter-Writing Coordinator |
| Isabelle Chae Paperwork Coordinator Paperwork@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Tanja Chevalier Parent Coordinator Parent Coordinator@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Metz Correa Recruitment Coordinator recruitment@amigos-chicagonorth.org |
Training Team
| Hollyn Cetrone Training Director Training@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Amanda Holme Assistant Training Director AssistantTD@amigos-chicagonorth.org | Chapin Low Assistant Training Director AssistantTD@amigos-chicagonorth.org |
HOW TO APPLY
READY TO START YOUR APPLICATION?
- Click here to start your application. Make sure you are applying for the Chicago North Chapter
- Complete your application and pay your $50 application fee. If you are applying for financial aid, complete the financial aid section within the application.
- Attend an Info Session.
- Complete an interview!
DEADLINES
January 7, 2018: Extended Application Deadline
Interviews
After you complete your application please sign up for an interview. If you have not yet attended an information session, please do! We encourage everyone to attend an in person or online information session prior to their interview.
PRICING
The Seattle Chapter covers AMIGOS program costs through a combination of family payments and fundraising activities. This approach allows us to keep costs to families low while teaching valuable fundraising and community outreach skills.
Family Fee: $3,900 (Payment plans available)
Application Fee: $50 (Non-refundable and not included in the Family Fee.)
Group Fundraising is required
FEES INCLUDES
- Training materials and workshops
- Round-trip domestic and international airfare
- Secondary short-term international medical insurance
- Program excursions
- Food, lodging, and transportation in Latin America
- Supplies for community project and extracurricular activities
- 24-hour On Call Emergency Management System
- Travel hotline and support
FEES DO NOT INCLUDE
- Immunizations and pre-travel medical examinations
- Passport/visa fees
DUE DATES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS
- Participants pay their family fees beginning December 15, 2017. The fee must be paid by April 15, 2018.
- Fees can be paid online or by mail. Payment plans are available.
Pricing At-A-Glance
Family Fee: $3,900
Application Fee: $50
*Domestic and international airfare included
FINANCIAL AID
AMIGOS actively recruits and supports inclusion of participants from diverse backgrounds. AMIGOS provides need-based financial assistance with distribution determined by family income, number of dependents and special financial circumstances. We provide amounts of $500-$1,500 to qualified applicants as deductions on the family fee. Financial assistance applications are due on December 1, 2016. Please contact the Chicago North Chapter Treasurer for additional information. In addition, participants who are returning for an additional summer receive a $365 discount.
FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE LAte December
FUNDRAISING
The cost of supporting an AMIGOS participant in Latin America is significant. The Chicago North Chapter covers these costs through a combination of product sales, letter writing campaign, participant-led Community Based Initiatives, and a family fee contribution. We chose these activities to maximize our ability to provide the AMIGOS experience to all participants without regard to family financial circumstances. All participants are required to fully take part in each fundraising activity as fundraising skills are an important component of AMIGOS training program and raise awareness of AMIGOS programs in the community.
LETTER WRITING/DONOR CONTACTS
Each participant is required to send out a combination of letters and emails to friends and family, with a minimum of 125 letters/emails being sent out, to request individual tax-deductible donations (the revenue from this effort is pooled). Letters are written by the participant with considerable help provided by the chapter during the process.
Silent Auction
The Chicago North Chapter will team up with the Chicago Urban Chapter for a joint silent auction on Saturday March 10th at the Mexican history museum.
CALENDAR
| 2017-2018 | |||
| Monday, October 9 | 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Information Session - Get Out of Your Element! | Evanston Public Library |
| Wednesday, October 25 | 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Information Session - Get Out of Your Element! | Wilmette Public Library |
| Wednesday, November 8 | 7:00pm - 8:30pm | Information Session - Get Out of Your Element! | Northbrook Public Library |
| Sunday, December 10 | 12:00pm - 4:00pm | 2017 Program Interviews | North Shore Country Day School (NSCDS) |
| Sunday, December 17 | 12:00pm - 4:00pm | 2017 Program Interviews | NSCDS |
| Sunday, January 14 | 12:00pm - 4:00pm | Welcome Event/Parent Potluck* / letter writing | NSCDS |
| Friday - Saturday, January 19-20 | 7:00pm (19th) until 4:00pm (20st) | Winter Retreat- Joint event with Urban | JCYS Camp Henry Horner |
| Sunday, February 4th | 10:00am - 5:00pm | Participant Training/Parent Meeting w/ Letter Stuffing* | NSCDS |
| Saturday, February 10 | TBD | Annual Board Meeting* | TBD |
| Sunday, March 18th | 10:00am - 5:00pm | Participant Training/Parent Meeting* | NSCDS |
| Saturday, April 7 | TBD | Silent Auction- Joint even with Urban | National Museum of Mexican Art |
| Sunday, April 22 | 10:00am - 5:00pm | Spanish Retreat- Joint event with Urban | NSCDS |
| Sunday, May 6 | 10:00am - 5:00pm | Participant Training/Parent Meeting | NSCDS |
| Sunday, May 20 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Participant Training/Parent Meeting | NSCDS |
| Friday, June 8 | TBD | Despedida* | TBD |
| (* board meeting dates) |