The typical high school curriculum doesn’t involve a visit to the Louvre, a stroll past the Parthenon, or repelling off 100-foot cliffs. But with the People to People Student Ambassador Program, “typical” isn’t exactly part of the vocabulary.People to People is a three-week summertime study abroad experience that can be applied towards high school elective credit. Right now, the Southwest Utah chapter of this organization is interviewing prospective candidates to go on an Australian trip leaving in June 2007.
“This program helps you get out of your shell and experience the world,” said Hilary Hughes, 16, a freshman at Dixie High School. Hughes attended the 2006 “European Odyssey” program, visiting Italy, Greece and France, and is in the process of applying for the 2007 program, “Cultures of Australia,” where she is excited to meet Aborigines and tour the Wet Tropics Rainforest. “It feels like a vacation, but the educational aspect of the program lures you as well. We would stand at a historical site and wonder, ‘What happened here?’ We were engaged in conversation, asking questions, wanting to know more.”
People to People costs approximately $5,400 per student – which includes all hotel accommodations, entrance admissions and meals, plus the plane ticket. While scholarships and corporate sponsorships can help many students make this experience become a reality, Hughes said she was able to cover last year’s expenses herself with royalties from her supporting role in the new LDS basketball movie, “Church Ball.”
The upcoming 2007 “Cultures of Australia” program is scheduled to make stops in Sydney, Canberra, Ballarat, Melbourne, Mungalli Falls and Cairns. This year marks the 50-year anniversary of the nationwide program. Begun in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the goal of People to People is to promote peace between nations by bringing ordinary citizens together to better understand each other, aiming to give students a greater sense of what it means to be a good neighbor and global citizen.
One part of the program that brings students in direct contact with international citizens is the “homestay” portion of their trip. For one to three days, small groups of students live in the household of a local family, observing their lifestyle, eating their food and participating in daily activities. For Hughes, life moved at a slower pace during her homestay in a rural French town.“Everything was more laid back,” Hughes said. “You could be 15 minutes late for a meeting and it was no big deal. To me, that was strange because I like to be 15 minutes early. They just took their time.”
Hughes said her favorite part of the recent Europe trip was the “full-on experience,” a self-mastery day directed by a motivational speaker. The full-on experience challenged students to gain confidence by pushing their limits. Last year, that experience involved a 100-foot repel; this year, plans are to soar across a valley on an enormous zip line. “The speaker told us we couldn’t let our fears control our lives,” Hughes said. “Then we sat down and rationally thought through the things that make us afraid. I tend to be shy and am afraid to talk to people. The whole experience helped us become closer as a group and open up about ourselves.”
In addition to 600 photographs of fun memories, Hughes said being a part of People to People gave her increased confidence in herself, leading her to register for a full load of honors courses this fall. The self-described “sheltered Utah girl” said she also now feels greater empathy for minority nationalities living in the U.S. who struggle with the language.
Southwest Utah delegate leader Bryan Werber has been with People to People for four years and has traveled to Australia, Spain, Italy and France with students. In the months leading up to the trip, Werber conducts monthly two-hour training sessions teaching students about the country’s culture, history, government and common foods, along with some basic language skills.
“This program changes these kids’ lives,” Werber said. “It matures a student to better understand what the world holds. It changes their outlook on life.”
A chemistry teacher and head coach of track and field at Canyon View High School, Werber enjoys building bonds with his students outside of the classroom through the People to People program. But he’s careful to remind his group that they are not “tourists” and the trip is not a “vacation.” They are student ambassadors, and Werber keeps students acting on their best behavior as representatives of their country.“There are expectations with this program,” he said. “We treat others with respect. We have a dress code. When traveling in a large group, we try to maintain a quiet disposition. We are interested in learning about other cultures, and we are open-minded to trying new things.”Werber said he is amazed every year at how the traditional teenage cliques break down in a situation like this. As students become more open-minded towards a new culture, he finds they also become more willing to accept differences between themselves.
“This program challenges people to step outside of their comfort zone,” Werber said. “When you do that, you realize that wherever you go – even halfway around the world, from St. George to Paris – people aren’t that different. Regardless of your location, you find that people are basically the same.”
Other Articles from this issue:
