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JANS – Visit Jackson’s My City Young Ambassador Program continues to empower third grade students at two Jackson elementary schools through hands-on exploration of their city’s culture, history, and tourism industry. Led by Kim Lewis, Visit Jackson’s Destination Development Manager and a 2025 CHANGE Collective Fellow, the youth-centered civic engagement initiative combines classroom learning with real world experiences to help students develop civic pride and understand their role in shaping Jackson’s future.
From October 2024 through September 2025, monthly sessions featured guest speakers, field experiences, and enrichment activities as students at Clausell Elementary and Wilkins Elementary discovered how tourism impacts their community while building personal skills, including mindfulness, confidence, and cultural awareness. The program earned national recognition when students’ video testimonials were featured at the 2025 Destinations International THRIVE Conference, giving Jackson’s youngest ambassadors a platform to share their perspectives on pride, place, and community…