American Experience Foundation (AEF) Activities

• The Foundation awarded $10,000 in scholarships to Andre Jones (Maya Angelou Public Carter HS); Deranique Graydon (Ballou HS); Zoe Michele Roberts (Wilson HS); and Johana Romero-Valdez (CHEC). You can support the AEF Scholarship program here.

• AEF and DDC recruited 45 hospitality and tourism host companies for DC Public Schools’ Career Ready Internships, employing more than 100 students.

• 70 DCPS Career Ready interns and their hospitality industry host employers networked at our first Career Ready Internship Luncheon on July 20, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Washington.

• 26 hospitality students volunteered to be part of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of IPW.

• Our Backyard Bound field trip on June 12th hosted 23 students from Kelly Miller Middle School (Ward 7, Washington, DC).

• Our Rite of Passage field trip on July 10-12 hosted 30 students and five staff members from the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region in North Carolina.

• Our July 4th Celebration welcomed more than 350 people and raised more than $70,000 to support AEF programs.

• Supporting local businesses while they support us through successful revenue share programs at the International Spy Museum, Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place and Citi Open Tennis Tournament.

The American Experience Foundation (AEF) enriches the lives of low-income students through inspirational travel experiences and educational opportunities to cultivate the next generation of hospitality industry professionals. AEF is the 501(c)(3) charity affiliated with Destination DC.

AEF will continue to work with partners to offer opportunities for MPI Potomac members to get involved in the fall.