BYTE Immersion Programs | Sport for Development, Public Health, and Humanitarian Aid

BYTE immersion trips are a great way for youth and adults to learn about the US/Mexico border through a lens of sport, public health, and Positive Youth Engagement. Each 3-5 day trip is customized for a visiting group, tailored for the ages and interests of participants. All trips include an introduction to US/Mexico geopolitics, volunteer visits to BYTE program sites on both sides of the border, and opportunities to meet and learn from professionals operating in the border humanitarian sector.

If you are interested in joining a group or organizing an immersion trip for your school or club, please contact us through the inquiry form.

Sample Immersion Program

Title: Bay to Border Exchange

Organizer: California Tennis Club | San Francisco CA

Date: Apr 2023

Age Range: High School Sophomore - Senior

Interests: Competitive tennis, foreign language students, international development

Description:

Over 5-months, BYTE conducted a multi-state, multinational youth exchange to connect high schoolers from San Francisco California, Nogales Arizona, and Nogales Sonora (MX). 
The cross-border service program provided the basics of 10-under tennis instruction, trauma-informed community coaching, and international NGO management, finishing with a group visit to the border to put skills into practice and meet international colleagues in-person.

Sport & Public Health Education

BYTE's work is unique because a substantial portion takes place inside locked facilities, supporting the border region's most vulnerable youth and adult populations. BYTE instructors have a responsibility to steward relationships with thorough understanding of the conditions and needs these spaces require. 

To prepare to visit and volunteer at BYTE's shelter-based programs, all Bay to Border participants completed: Youth Mental Health First Aid; BYTE Trauma-Informed Community Coaching; and Introduction to 10-Under Tennis. They also received curated introductions to US/Mexico Border Issues; Asylum Adjudication; and International NGO management.

Charlie Cutler, Eloise Sent, Noah Babel, Katrina Sent, Drew Babel, Lisa Babel, April Chou, Andrew Chou Belden, Adrian Laudani (L-R) 

(Top row L-R) Amanda Bustamante, Noah Babel, Andrew Chou Belden, Drew Babel, Lathrop Chung, BYTE coach Jose Luis, BYTE director Charlie Cutler, (Bottom row L-R) Marilu Portillo, Daniela Cordova, Eloise Sent

Meet the Cohorts

The Bay to Border Exchange program brought together 14 high school student-athletes representing 9 separate high schools. 6 student-athletes participated from the San Francisco Bay Area, alongside 5 from Nogales Sonora (MX), and 3 from Nogales Arizona.

Represented high schools included: Marin Academy (CA), University High School (CA), Stuart Hall (CA), Lick-Wilmderding (CA), Menlo School (CA), Nogales High School (AZ), Pedro de Gante (MX), Colegio de Bachilleres del estado de Sonora (MX), Preparatoria Municipal Omar Osvaldo Romo Covarrubias (MX), and Colegio de Educación Profesional Técnica del Estado de Sonora (MX).

While each student brought individual goals to the program, everyone was connected by competitive junior tennis, a history attending and/or working for BYTE, and an interest in public health and geopolitics.

As an added bonus, a group of dedicated Bay Area moms accompanied their children as the group learned about the Nogales non-profit sector and volunteered at BYTE's community and refugee sites.

Bay to Border SF and MX cohorts hitting some balls at Unidad Deportiva (MX), the municipal sport authority.

Bay to Border SF and MX cohorts thank Consul General Biedeback for offering her time and discussing the US State Dept. role in cross-border relations.

3-Day Itinerary

Days in Nogales were busy indeed! The schedule was jam packed to ensure a well-rounded opportunity to volunteer and meet the NGO and government partners that make BYTE possible. The team experienced first-hand the challenge of coordinating binational programs and partnerships. The BYTE SF cohort stayed in Arizona, crossing daily to conduct site visits and volunteer in BYTE's year-round youth operations. 

Bay to Border team showcasing some choreography at the BYTE Don Bosco program site in Nogales Mexico.

BYTE Bay Area cohort enjoying a beautiful Spring evening at the Nogales Art Museum.

Trip Highlights included:

BYTE Bay to Border student-athletes enjoying pop-up tennis on the roof of the Nogales Sonora Art Museum during the Bay to Border Social

Post-Trip Reflections

BYTE's goal for the program was to provide its visiting student-athletes an educational and multi-faceted look at border communities through the lens of tennis, public health, and human rights. Also, to create opportunities for cross-border exchange between engaged young adults who can learn to add value to their communities together while demystifying stereotypes about the border region.

Debriefing at the La Linea Art Studio on Morley Ave (AZ)

Checking out the murals at the Casa de la Misericordia migrant shelter (MX

 


Here's what participants had to say about their experience:

San Francisco Cohort:

"As a tennis player myself, seeing the ways sport can ease trauma was extremely eye-opening. In Nogales, I saw how tennis extends beyond just a game. It can be used to bring people together to connect and to lessen the weight of burdens. At every shelter we visited I saw this in action. Also, talking with the high school students from Nogales....we talked about everything from school and family dynamics to popular music. I am so grateful for the bonds I made and happy to still be in touch on social media."

-Eloise Sent

"The trip radically changed my perspective on tennis and reminded me how much joy it brings. More importantly, it gave me a perspective on the border that cannot be understood through watching the news. The relationship between Nogales Arizona and Nogales Mexico is much more nuanced than I thought it would be. The cities are much more like an intricate ecosystem than I would have imagined."

-Lathrop Chung

"My biggest takeaway volunteering at migrant shelters was the joy that children expressed even amidst trauma and adverse experiences. This was a sharp contrast to narratives we hear. I also came out of the trip with a very different understanding of border communities. I was under the impression border towns used to be porous but are less so now. Visiting Nogales helped me see the liveliness of a border city where people cross back and forth each day."

-Andrew Chou-Belden

Ambos Nogales Cohort:

"Spending a few days getting to know the youth from San Francisco and sharing experiences gave us a chance to create new friendships and memories. It was very interesting seeing how other kids my age view my hometown. Since they had never truly seen what life on the border is really like, being able to share stories and anecdotes with them was very special. BYTE has been a great outlet for opportunities like these which involve socializing and meeting new people of all ages and backgrounds."

-Marilu Portillo | Nogales AZ

"The meeting and sharing of experiences with our San Francisco classmates was what made this exchange so interesting. The sharing of views from different sides of the border was one of my favorite parts, as well as the cultural differences we faced and the places we came from. It was new and fun, and something I would love to repeat."

-Amanda Bustamante | Nogales Sonora (translated from original Spanish)

"The experience that I had with BYTE was a very cool one. When the group came from San Francisco, I got to meet new people I never expected to meet. The experience was incredible. I learned new things with the children and the incredible BYTE staff with whom we interacted. BYTE is a great organization that helps children. I had a great time and I'm very grateful for all this."

-Daniela Cordova | Nogales Sonora (translated from original Spanish)

BYTE is able to offer free summer programming thanks to generous support from its sponsors.