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Young Texan Ambassadors

The Young Texan Ambassadors program empowers Texans ages 15-25 to lead environmental projects in their communities while building leadership skills that last a lifetime.

Overview

The Young Texan Ambassador (YTA) program supports the next generation of community and environmental leaders.

The program serves youth ages 15-25 for a 9-month service learning and environmental education program. Each ambassador completes a cleanup and a capstone service project in their community.

A leadership program for students who want to make a difference.
  • Lead a hands-on environmental project in your community
  • Collaborate with peers across Texas
  • Build leadership, communication, and project management skills
  • Gain recognition for your impact
YTA member Claudio Amato assembled these volunteers for a cleanup in 2023

photo credit Claudia Amato, 2023

2021-2025 Impact

Young Texan Ambassadors

Young Texan Ambassadors conduct a community cleanup and create a capstone project that addresses a community need in the areas of beautification, litter cleanup and prevention, recycling, and education.

172

Ambassadors Activated

2,966

Volunteer Hours

1,867

Volunteers Activated

10,744

pounds of litter diverted

$100,281

Economic Impact

115

Miles of Texas Roads Cleaned

The community that comes with this program is the best thing about it. Getting to meet and work with people from all over Texas with the same passion for the environment as you is such a wonderful experience. I am so excited as I begin my Second Year as Co-Chair of the Leadership Council and recommend this program for all youth!

Hannah LagleyYTA member 2021-22 and 2022-23

The impact of Keep Texas Beautiful and its affiliates is what inspired me to become a Young Texan Ambassador. Leading by example is a crucial necessity to what our planet’s future of life depends on. I recommend this program to any young Texan that is motivated and desires to make a change in today’s environment.

Priscilla VillarealYTA member 2022-23

One of the things I love most about YTA is the way it has given me the chance to connect my passion for the environment with other passions and values in my life. This is not something I was necessarily expecting coming into YTA, but it has made my experience this past year all that much more valuable.

Sydney BrownYTA member 2022-23

"The Young Texan Ambassador helped me learn many skills, such as leadership, communication, and planning. These skills not only have helped me in coordinating cleanups, but they have also helped me vocalize my opinions in school and social settings, and by building rapport with local organizations."

Ocean LandreneauYTA member 2023-24

"I am extremely passionate about the environment and believe YTA is the perfect program for me to engage in as it has opened several opportunities to share my love for the environment with others in my community."

Alisha SenghaniYTA member 2023-24

How It Works

Requirements

Benefits

Geographic Groups

Leadership Council

FAQ

Ages 19 – 25 Cohort

Emrys Garcia

Laredo

Zainab Bulbisi

San Antonio

Kendra Burton

Leander

Sophia Vitela

Austin

Hashim Elshafie

Rio Grande Valley

Caroleena Mancilla

San Antonio

Jazmine Storrs

Austin

Ricardo Valverde

Austin

Dairen Nealy

San Antonio

Central Cohort

Deven Kancherla

Austin

Kaitlyn Tran

Cedar Park

Sofia Granados

Austin

Siddharth Tripathi

San Antonio

Jonathan Hulce

Fair Oaks Ranch

Avianne Hershberger

Driftwood

Asvini Thivakaran

Round Rock

Sydney Gharis

Austin

Dallas/Fort Worth Cohort

Vaishnavi Nandanavanam

Frisco

Jessica Zhang

Plano

Vaishnavi Kaligotla

Frisco

Nanditha Sharath

Plano

Leah Camille Skinner

Haslet

Daniel Thomas

Colleyville

Archana Annampedu

Plano

David Camargo

Waxahachie

Daniel Jackson

Flower Mound

Melissa Remezo

Crowley

East/West Cohort

Hazik Aiyan

Amarillo

Brianna Colvin

Lufkin

Enrique Ambriz

El Paso

Luis Gabriel Robles

Marshall

Jaxon Hokanson

Dalhart

Kalan Gardner Jr.

Port Arthur

Rio Grande Valley Cohort

Emma Escobar

Rio Grande City

Luxmi Visaharan

Harlingen

Abrianna Galindo

Mercedes

Emmanuel Vera

Rancho Viejo

Javier Villarreal

Laredo

Anapaula De Los Santos

Brownsville

Ryan Ramirez

Brownsville

Greater Houston Cohort

Ocean Landreneau

Clute

Alissa Feng

Spring

Carla Wu

Katy

Kunj Senjaliya

Katy

Ayushmaan Singh

Cypress

Linda Wang

Richmond

Tatianna Hernupont

Houston

Sarah Cruser

Houston

Jake Berlinsky

Katy

Resources

Download the YTA Flyer

To share with youth in your community.

View flyers (in PDF)
Blog post: The Experience of a Young Texan Ambassador

Read from a program alumnus

Blog post: Planning a Cleanup Event

Read from a program alumnus

2025-26 Program Calendar

Community Projects

Here are some projects completed by the 2023-24 Young Texan Ambassadors.

Abigail So, Toilet Paper Roll Starter Seed Pot Packages

I worked with the district’s sustainability director to collect 500 toilet paper tubes from across the district. We worked with student volunteers to put seed pot packages together and distribute them to schools with gardens. The packages consisted of toilet paper rolls folded into pots, soil, and vegetable plant seeds for 4 school gardens. “

Christian Cockrell, Rewilding Station 511

The project’s goal is to create a Texas native plant pollinator garden that will serve the community as a piece of beautification, education, and restoration. The garden also provides important habitat for local wildlife such as pollinators, birds, and small mammals. This will support local biodiversity and should increase the number of these local species in the area.”

Lily Springborn & Sydney Brown, Pearce Courtyard Restoration

We learned a lot about how much effort goes into planning an event like this one. It took multiple failed attempts at contacting businesses, countless donation application forms, and many hours at plant stores to receive all the supplies we needed.  Our favorite part of the project was getting to see the result. The courtyard is now a beautiful place and we have already seen more people spending time in it during our lunch period.”

Samiha Rashid, Beauty Starts with a Seed

The biggest takeaway from this experience was taking the initiative to host a volunteering project. I have always been the one signing up to volunteer, never the one giving out the signup sheets. My favorite part was arranging the project with the city’s team because I learned how much effort and teamwork it takes to organize one event.

Claudia Amato,  Bunny Buddies

I partnered with our local Hale Literacy Council to host a reading and craft time at our town library. Together we read Judy Moody saves the world to learn about the importance of recycling and how it can be done. I also used this time to introduce the mission of KTB and our local affiliate. We ended it by recycling toilet paper rolls to make bunny buddies to show how we can use the materials at home to make other things, Each family got to take home a bunny buddy and a copy of the book. Overall, this project educated young minds about recycling since they are the future of our planet and introduced the initiative within homes.”

Marleigh Alvarado,  Community Clean Up

I learned a lot about teamwork and collaboration while working on my community project. Next time, I would focus more on planning and organizing to ensure a smoother process. My favorite part was seeing the positive impact our project had on the community.”

Contact Us.

Interested in learning more about the Young Texan Ambassadors program? Fill out the contact form below. We’ll be in touch!

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The Young Texan Ambassador program is supported with funding by: