The Passport Party Project to Gift 365 Passports to Underrepresented Youth, Ages 11-15 Nationwide

— National Geographic Travel award-winning global awareness initiative will give away one passport a day for one year with the help of travel advocates worldwide —

Phase 3 of The Passport Party Project in Toronto, Canada

Oakland, CA — The Passport Party Project, a National Geographic Travel award-winning philanthropic global awareness initiative for underrepresented American girls 11-15, just announced its Phase 4 initiative The #365PassportProject, which will put passports in the hands of 265 girls. And, for the first time, 100 boys with the help of travel advocates worldwide will receive passports as well. Spearheaded by travelpreneur Tracey Friley, the project’s goal is to encourage young underrepresented tweens to start down the path to global citizenship early by becoming passport holders and travel ambassadors who ultimately pay it forward by encouraging passport ownership, teen travel and study abroad amongst their peers.

According to passport statistics, less than 39% of Americans hold a U.S. passport and study abroad statistics indicate that only 25% of underrepresented youth (8.3% Hispanic/Latino American; 7.7% Asian/Pacific Islander; 5.6% African-American; 3.6% Multiracial; 0.5% American Indian/Alaska Native) make up the study abroad population. In line with Diversity Abroad and the Institute of International Education’s #GenerationStudyAbroad initiative, The Passport Party Project aims to make a difference in both passport and study abroad stats in its own way by shifting the global mindset of teens in their formative years so that they are prepared for international travel and ultimately, the global marketplace.

To date, Passport Party Project passport scholarship applicants have hailed from cities like Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, and passport gifts have come in from as far away as Beijing China and Toronto Ontario with even more world travelers being encouraged to give via Friley’s social media channels as well as those social media channels of Passport Party Project advocates. “This is a true grassroots effort for our kids,” says Friley.

“Imagine being 11-15 years old and getting your very first passport. Imagine knowing a world traveler who possibly even looks like you bearing that gift. Imagine the global mind shift. Imagine the possibilities. With or without a plane ticket or immediate travel plans in sight, being in possession of a global permission slip changes everything, don’t you think?”

Phase 4 opened July 15, 2016 and closes July 15, 2017 or whenever 365 passports have been gifted. Towards the end of Phase 4, any teen girl who obtained her first passport via the #365PassportProject will be in a position to compete to get her first passport stamp on her first trip abroad during a Passport Party Project trip currently in the works.

For more information about The Passport Party Project’s Phase 4 #365PassportProject initiative, please visit www.PassportPartyProject.org. Follow along on Facebook at @PassportParty and Twitter @TraceyFriley #PassportPartyProject.

About The Passport Party Project
The Passport Party Project is a National Geographic Travel award-winning philanthropic global awareness initiative for underrepresented American girls 11-15 spearheaded by travelpreneur and teen travel advocate Tracey Friley. The initiative has completed 3 phases so far with sponsors such as Expedia, HomeAway, Toronto Tourism, Porter Airlines, Heys Luggage, and more. Featured in American Airlines’ American Way and on such web sites as NationalGeographicTravel.com, AOLMakers.com, TravelChannel.com, Yahoo! Travel, and Black Enterprise.com, the initiative has served over 200 teens to date.

PRESS CONTACT:
Tracey Friley
(510) 393-9300
PassportPartyProject@gmail.com