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 or 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 competency in your target language (equivalent to at least 1 year of study)
• 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 prior to program start (1 hour total)
• Program: February – April 2026 (exact dates to be determined; 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.

• Take a photo of a meal and upload the photo to your assigned “family” (small group). In the caption, please write at least three sentences describing the photo of the meal in English (for English learners) and Spanish (for Spanish learners). In your post, include an audio clip of you reading the three sentences out loud (20 minutes).
• “Interview” a peer who is a native speaker of the language that you are learning. Where are they from? How many people are in their family? What do they like to do on the weekends? During a live call, share what you have learned about them with your small group (45 minutes).
• Read a text about a holiday celebrated in another part of the world. Write and post a descriptive text of 3-5 sentences in your target language using at least three adjectives new to your vocabulary. Read your peers’ posts and comment on two posts, responding to what most interests you about that holiday (15 minutes).
• Video chat with your “family” and your facilitator on the topic of what your favorite and least favorite parts are of the place where you live (1 hour).

The program is led by expert Digital Facilitators with experience working with youth and facilitating global language exchanges. Native English speakers and native Spanish speakers co-lead the program, with a preference for facilitators who reside in or have familiarity with Latin America or the US.  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.