Follow the inspiring journey of DC teens as they travel to Madagascar and experience life-changing moments. Discover the power of global education and cultural exchange.
While many of their peers spent their summer break attending summer school, working their first jobs, or catching up on sleep, four ambitious students from Washington, D.C., embarked on a transformative 10-day journey to Madagascar. Immersed in the island’s rich culture, these young ambassadors gained firsthand experience in global affairs and made memories that will last a lifetime.
Logan Arthur and Amber Jackson, 10th graders at McKinley Technology High School in Northeast, Tyler Branch, a 10th grader at MacArthur High School in Northwest, and Jaylen Parker, a McKinley Tech 2024 graduate, are among 19 students involved in the International Ambassadors Program, established in 2017 by the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation (WOLCF), in collaboration with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).
Wanda Lockridge, WOLCF president and founder, said she established the program to offer students the opportunity to experience Africa firsthand, while also introducing them to professional opportunities in foreign affairs.
“When the program started in 2017, we collaborated closely with [DCPS] to identify students who would benefit the most from this unique experience,” Lockridge told The Informer. “We conducted interviews with both the students and their parents to ensure a good fit, and our selection committee made the final choices based on a specific set of criteria.”
Over the past seven years, Lockridge said the program has evolved.
“We introduced a six-week U.S. Foreign Service Initiative (USFSI) to streamline and enhance the selection process. Now, students must fully participate in this initiative to be eligible for an interview,” she explained. “This approach allows us to observe the students’ engagement, interests, and commitment, providing a more comprehensive understanding of who would thrive in the Ambassador Program. The six-week initiative not only prepares them for the journey, but also ensures that they are well-informed about the continent and ready to maximize the learning experience.”
Named after her late husband, D.C. School Board member William O. Lockridge, Sr., who died in 2011, Lockridge established the foundation to continue his commitment to closing the education gap for Wards 7 and 8 students.
In addition to the International Ambassadors Program, WOLCF holds an annual fundraiser, Dancing with the Scholars, and the proceeds are used to provide college scholarships for local graduating seniors.
More Than an Animated Film
Madagascar is an island in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. It is the fourth largest island in the world with a population of 28,800 million inhabitants who speak Malagasy and French. It is also the fourth poorest country in the world, with an economy based on paddy rice, coffee, vanilla and cloves.
Despite the extreme poverty, the country is acclaimed for its beaches along with its vast and diverse ecosystem, including its amazing baobab trees and lemurs.
Aware of the DreamWorks animated movie named after the country, the students agreed that Madagascar significantly differs from the survival comedy film that featured four New York City Zoo animals – a lion, zebra, hippopotamus, and giraffe – longing to abandon city life to go where they would be free. They end up on the sandy shores of Madagascar, where no lions, zebras, hippopotamuses or giraffes exist, and they meet a colony of lemurs, for which Madagascar is known.
“My most memorable experience was getting to see the lemurs because the movie Madagascar was my favorite growing up and I loved King Julian,” Tyler, 15, told The Informer, recalling the colorful and most famous lemur in the film, who reigned over the other lemurs.
Beyond the excitement of seeing things that correlated with the film, the trip to Madagascar was also the chance for the students to escape the rigors and crime of D.C., and visit a place where they would feel free to experience a different environment and culture.
“I would like people to know that Madagascar is far from what the movie portrays it to be. It is way better in my eyes, and words can’t describe how beautiful the country and the people are despite its challenges,” Amber, 15, said.
Both 10th graders, Tyler agreed with Amber, adding: “It was an overall great experience and I recommend traveling anywhere outside of the city [D.C.].”
Why Madagascar?
Madagascar is far from a tourist destination and, according to the International Trade Administration, tourism has experienced a sharp decline in recent years. Before visiting the country, students, and some adults who accompanied them, said they were often asked, “Where is Madagascar?” or “Why Madagascar?”
Ada Anagho Brown, the owner of Roots to Glory Tours (RTG), said the “easy answer” to choosing Madagascar as a destination for the students was because the weather was conducive to travel and the relationships the tourism group had with people and organizations in the country.
“We had a strong partnership on the ground and Wanda had never traveled there before,” Brown told The Informer.
The partnership included Voahirana Wilmot, a native of Madagascar who has lived in D.C. for decades and formerly worked for The Washington Post. Wilmot visits home regularly and was key in coordinating the trip for the students and several adult travelers. The group consisted of 13 travelers.
Brown, a native of Cameroon, coordinated prior trips to her home country, Ghana, and Benin. Her Baltimore-based company, RTG, was established in 2012 with the dream of reuniting African families and helping people in the African Diaspora return to the continent.
“Madagascar is a country that most people would not consider traveling to. I felt that it was important for these students to have a unique experience.”
Keywords: DC Teens, Madagascar, Cultural Exchange, Global Education, Life-Changing Journey
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