In the summer of 1999, Ajna Sharma-Wilson, 17 at the time, and her brother, Sivan Wilson, 13, accompanied their mother, Mintra Sharma, to San Salvador, El Salvador, to participate in the first-ever Collaborative Educational Programs for the Americas conference in Latin America. They not only experienced the culture and scenery of El Salvador, but they also met educators, law enforcement and military officials from five Central American countries at the CEPA conference. They heard first-hand about the issues and challenges to education and safety in those countries. This was a powerful experience for two teenagers from a comfortable Southern California home. "We're really giving them our ideals, and they're incorporating them into their educational programs," said Sivan. "It's not just us giving to them, we're learning also," said Ajna. Ajna and Sivan have gone on to successful careers—Ajna in law and Sivan in health care administration.