By: Julia Piacentini ’15
As technology advances there are more and more opportunities for students to travel the world. Everyone has heard about college study-abroad programs, but do they know now there are programs for high school students as well?
Student Ambassador Programs, such as People To People, are opening up doors for high school students to explore the world. People to People Ambassador Programs gives students a first-hand look at the cultures of the world. Students get a behind-the-scenes look that they could not get if traveling with their family. This program offers over 20 trips annually available to students across the country. These programs are not only available to high-school students, but also middle-school and college students.
Who would send a fifth-grader across the world with strangers? Well, People to People puts safety-first. It is there number one priority. When talking with Mrs. McNeil, a delegation leader at People to People she said “It’s one of the main reasons I choose to travel with People to People. They are an organization that’s been around for a very long time. They have developed resources and contacts on the ground that help them to be able to make changes, if necessary for our safety.”
People to People has over one hundred people who are solely dedicated to the safety of the travelers world-wide. The delegation managers are trained to supervise students while educating them about the amazing cultures of the world. There are safety centers at all destinations that People to People Ambassador Programs visit. The other worry for many parents is that they do not know these people very well. Before the students travel there are many meetings to get the travelers and students to know each other well.
This leads into another very important question: How does one become a Student Ambassador? The first step in this program is to attend a local information meeting about the trip that is going to be offered in your county. There are three different ways you can find out about this meeting. Teachers can nominate a student, or friends can nominate a student. Students, who have been nominated, receive a letter describing the trip being offered and the information about your local meeting. Also, students may be informed by family, friends or teachers who are informed about the program. Before a student can attend the information meeting, they must go on to the people to people website and reserve a spot in the meeting. After the meeting, if students are interested in the trip they begin the application process. First they sign up for an interview with the delegation leader. The interview is generally about two weeks after the meeting. Students must bring three sealed envelopes containing recommendation letters; two from teachers and one from a close adult. They also must bring a student questionnaire that was given at the meeting and has been filled out previous to the interview. The applicant must apply online, preferably, before the interview. Once the applicant has been accepted, they should find out a couple days of after they have been interviewed, the student will be invited to meetings with other accepted students. There are usually a few meetings prior to the trip so that students become familiar with not only each other but also where and how they will be travelling.
People to People was founded by President Eisenhower as a way to bring people together to create world peace. When asked why People to People over other programs delegation leader Mrs. McNeil said “It’s not just a travel program, it helps develop students into culturally intelligent leaders. It also aims to promote peace through relationships and understanding.”
