The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Big Ben, the Blarney Stone and Anne Frank’s House. All are attractions found in Europe that most people would love to see, but are unable to in their lifetime. One Woodward middle schooler will have the opportunity to experience Europe thanks to the People to People Student Ambassador Program.
Kori Chance is an eighth grader who was nominated by a teacher for the Student Ambassador Program. Of the 40 students who will be making the trip to Europe, he is one of only three middle schoolers and the only one from Woodward. The majority are from Dodge City, Kan.
After receiving his nomination, Chance had to pass a series of computer tests about the history and governments of several countries in Europe. When the tests were finished, he was interviewed by a panel of people who had previously made trips with the organization.
Now that he is accepted into the program, the opportunity to experience Europe and meet kids his own age presents itself.
Delegation Leader Jon Hansen said Chance exemplifies the qualities that organizers look for when they choose ambassadors.
“Kori is an exceptional young man,” Hansen said. “He would be a perfect representative to show the world what the United States is like.”
From June 10 to June 28 the People to People Student Ambassador Program will be taking a Traditions of Europe tour through England, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Wales.
“It’s the trip of a lifetime for me,” Chance said.
It will be if he is able to raise the necessary money to pay for the trip. Steve Rankin, a primary leader for the program, said it costs between $6,500 and $7,500 per student for the trip.
“They have to be intelligent and self motivated to raise the money by themselves,” Rankin said.
The benefits of the European trip are great. Chance said the group will tour castles in England, see the sights of Paris and work on a community project. One of the previous groups helped remove boulders from a river in Africa.
For three days of the trip Chance will get to live with an Irish family. The experience will give him an opportunity to see how people in other countries live and he will get to go to an Irish school with the child of the family as long as school is still in session.
“It will be the first time I’ll ever be out of the country,” Chance said. “I’ll learn a lot from it. I’ll learn what people outside the country think of the United States.”
Rankin said the goal of the Student Ambassador Program is to “promote peace through understanding and face to face interaction.”
“This is not just using Europe for a shopping trip,” Rankin said. “They actually learn something.”
Besides learning what it is like to live in Ireland, the students will get to meet government officials Rankin said, including a member of Parliament. A student a couple years ago got to meet the Queen of England.
The European trip might be the first of several trips Chance will make through the Student Ambassador Program. Once he reaches high school, Chance will be eligible to earn college credit for the trips he makes. He said one girl will be going on her fourth trip abroad this summer. Previous tours the girl had been on with the group include Australia, Italy and Greece.
“It’s really amazing to see the transformation,” said Hansen, who made a trip with the group to Europe last year. “The young people come back as young adults. It’s a responsibility builder.”
In Chance’s quest to raise money for the European trip, he has worked over Spring Break and done some odd jobs around the area. A bake sale is also in the works. As it stands, Chance is still $3,800 short of what he needs to make the trip.
“I’ll do anything to earn money,” Chance said. “If anybody can help, I’d appreciate it.”
