In preparation for their departure to the U.S. the YES 11 finalists attended a digital storytelling and social media workshop in Monrovia, Liberia. Jessey Coleman, the workshop facilitator and a YES alumni, previously attended the African Regional Digital Storytelling Workshop in Ghana back in May. He believe that the skills he learned there were critical to the success of the new YES cohort. The special session was held during the final pre-departure orientation for the eight new students and was also attended by twelve other YES alumni. "I wanted to do this to share what i have learned from the experience in Ghana with my friends back home," said Coleman. "I believe sharing what I know with them will also enable them to share with others. I learned that using digital storytelling and social media to share with others will not only change them but also the environment in which we live, and we will be able to develop our minds through these social interactions."