The Experiment Digital

You are eligible to apply if you:

• Are between the ages of 14–19 years old
• Are currently enrolled in or have not yet completed high school 
• Reside in the United States Latin America, including Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. 
• Have basic English language competency, defined as: 
  • Foundational understanding of the English language 
  • Ability to communicate in everyday situations, including understanding basic vocabulary, phrases, and grammar for simple conversations, but not necessarily complex or nuanced discussions. This is the most basic English language ability.
• Have regular access to the Internet* 
• Can devote 2-4 hours each week to the program 

*Internet support may be available upon request.

During our application review, we look for participants who: 

• Demonstrate a commitment to the program and its goals
• Are passionate about developing their leadership and global communication skills
• Have an open-minded attitude and are willing to learn from others
• Have a strong desire to create social change in their communities
• Have not had extensive travel experience

Reasonable Time Commitment 

• Orientation: Week of September 22, 2025 (1 hour total) 
• Program: September 29 – November 23, 2025 (8 weeks, 2-4 hours per week) 
• Most of the work is asynchronous (at your own pace). 
• There is also an optional 1-hour synchronous (live) call each weekend.  
  • Every other week, this will be a Saturday workshop to hear from expert speakers. On the alternating weeks, it will be a small group dialogue, scheduled based on the availability of each participant.  
• To qualify for a post-program certificate, participants must complete at least one activity per week. 

Safe and Intimate Group Spaces 

While the program is designed to connect hundreds of students, smaller and mid-sized groups are the main channels for most activities and feedback to personalize the experience. The full “community” of Experimenters is subdivided into smaller “neighborhoods,” and even smaller “families” that meet every other week. 

Accessible, Low-bandwidth Technology 

Using popular digital platforms like WhatsApp, Padlet, and Zoom, our virtual program model employs a range of activities to encompass all learning styles. Activities include live workshops, written reflections, readings, written “text” exchanges in small groups, and ideating via drawing, journaling, or recording audio clips. Additionally, we leverage the accessibility features of platforms, such as closed captions and high-contrast text, for ease of engagement. 

Robust Curriculum to Prepare Future Digital Citizens 

Through interactions with international peers, students practice collaborative problem-solving, global communication, and digital etiquette—all of which are important in our increasingly globalized world. 

• Watch a video to learn step-by-step how to start a community project (5 minutes). 
• Take a fun quiz to determine your leadership style. Identify some strengths of your leadership style as well as areas for growth and share these during a chat with your small “family” group (1 hour). 
• Post a photo of one of your favorite places where you live and share it with your peers, along with a text, audio, or video message about why it is special to you (5 minutes). 
• Attend a live workshop to hear from an expert speaker about a project that they designed and how they successfully recruited volunteers, raised funds, and set a timeline to reach their goals (1 hour). 
• Identify 3 local needs where you live, related to any topic. Choose the one that most interests you and then conduct a resource analysis of existing organizations, programs, and funds that are currently addressing this issue. Are there any resource “gaps” that your project could fill? Complete a provided digital worksheet or choose another way to visualize your findings (i.e. Canva, drawing, slide show) and share it in your family group chat (30 minutes). 

The program is led by expert Digital Facilitators who have experience working with youth and facilitating global exchanges. Digital Facilitators undergo intensive training for online facilitation prior to the start of the program. The program is additionally supported by peer mentors (alumni of our previous digital programs), and The Experiment Digital staff. 

How do I become a Digital Facilitator? 

Visit our Become a Digital Facilitator page to learn more.