Training for Educators

This July, the American Experience Foundation (AEF) was proud to host professional development training sessions for educators across the city. In partnership with DC Public Schools (DCPS) College and Career Programs and Ballou High School, AEF showcased how hospitality industry leaders can complement the classroom with work-based learning experiences.

AEF hosted three educators for a two-day externship, discussed the importance of work-based learning and the multitudes of careers available to students in the hospitality industry. They toured the Marriott Marquis Washington DC, learned about creative and sales roles, spent time with Destination DC President and CEO, Elliott L. Ferguson, II, and explored the world of event planning at Hargrove’s Maryland headquarters. They had fun team building at the challenging Escape Game – Penn Quarter and celebrated with delicious bites at Fogo de Chao. The experiences delved into career exploration and the kind of inspiration the industry can provide to the next generation.

In partnership with Ballou High School and DCPS, AEF also organized activities for 15 middle school educators as they begin to extend Career and Technical Education programming for DCPS middle schools. Led by Brittany Anderson, college and career coordinator for the Academies at Ballou High School, the day-long session explained how to plan and execute a work-based learning experience.

Thank you to Carr Properties’ 2001 Penn for hosting and to the Moxy Washington, DC Downtown and the Eaton DC for providing work-based learning tours. The educators also spoke with creatives in the experiential hospitality industry along with a round of minigolf at Puttery. 

We are excited to support students and teachers by connecting them to hospitality industry leaders in DC and look forward to continuing this work in August.

Washington, DC welcomes its newest NAF certified Academy of Hospitality and Tourism at River Terrace Education Campus. The team at River Terrace recently completed its NAF Year of Planning process and will officially welcome students to the new Academy in the fall of 2023. AEF looks forward to supporting the Academy by providing a yearly college scholarship for a student, assisting with field trips and year-round programing and building connections to the hospitality industry.

Destination DC and AEF welcome Diamond Hunter as the new partnerships & alliances assistant. She is a recent graduate of Temple University with a degree in Business Administration. Diamond is also a 2018 graduate of Wilson High School’s (now Jackson Reed) Academy of Hospitality & Tourism and Hospitality. She was a two-time AEF scholarship winner.

Diamond's past experiences include internships with Amtrak as well as serving as president of the National Association of Black Accountants at Temple University. In her new role, she will support Destination DC’s partnerships & alliances and AEF teams including leading the Dining & Driving partnership program operations and establishing a new student-mentor program for academy scholars. 

Join us in welcoming Diamond to the Destination DC team! 

Interested in hosting an intern during the 2022-2023 school year? 

Sign up by Aug.19 to be a host employer for the District of Columbia Career and Technical Education Network's Advanced Internship Program. 

Interns work 8-12 hours per week from Sept. 12, 2022 through May 24, 2023 and come from a variety of academic backgrounds including hospitality and tourism, IT, finance, mass media and communications and more.

 Contact Lisa Wadschmitt, AEF Senior Foundation Manager to learn more. 

July 4th Celebration

Thank you to our scholarship winners, attendees and partners for an unforgettable July 4^th celebration! Through ticket sales, donations and silent auction bids, we raised over $50,000 to support our Academy of Hospitality and Tourism and Culinary Arts students.

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