For three Point Loma teens, People to People Student Ambassador Programs gave them more than a luxury tour of New Zealand and Australia “” it taught them we are all the same.
“The people we visited “” they’re not all that different [from people in the states],” said Madolyn Covill, a freshman at Point Loma High School. “They talk differently and they eat different things, their school system is different, but they’re still the same as us.”
The 20-day whirlwind trip took the girls through wildlife preserves, windmill farms, the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, the filming set for Lord of the Rings and family homes.
“The goal of the organization is to spread world peace,” said Natalie Covill, a seventh grader at Correia Middle School. “We went to schools, we met people, we saw government buildings, we went to a farm “” basically got the whole experience.”
Founded by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, People to People offers “invitation-only programs that provide international educational opportunities for grade school, junior high school, and high school students,” according to the organization’s Web site. People to People also offers ambassador programs for adults.
The organization makes sure travelers are prepared. Participants must attend monthly meetings prior to departure to learn about the country they are visiting.
“At the meetings, they learned about being an ambassador and got to know each other,” said Lisa Stapleton, mother of Jessica Stapleton.
“We had to do country specific presentations on Australia,” said Natalie Covill, a seventh-grader at Correia Middle School. “And at every meeting, you had to bring in a current events segment about the country you were visiting.”
Not only is the program rigorous, it is also exclusive.
“There was a woman at work who was soliciting nominations,” said Stapleton. “She asked if [Jessica] wanted to be nominated, then we referred information over to the Covill family. Knowledge of the program is spread mostly through word of mouth. Now that [the girls] have gone, we can nominate other people that we know.”
The girls and their fellow delegates enjoyed hugging koalas, spying on crocodiles, exploring farms and rural lands, and snorkeling. But what they remember the most is the time spent with local families.
“Everyone was so nervous about the home stay,” said Natalie. “Everyone on the bus was freaking out. Our leader from Fresno, Howard, said that most people are scared but when they’re done, that’s the most memorable part of the trip. The home stay is the thing that people remember the most. I was kind of awkward about it in the beginning, but the family was really nice about it. And [Howard] was right.”
“Our home-stay family even sang [the United States] national anthem to us!” said Madolyn.
The delegation also attended class in Australia. “At the school, there was this group of girls and they were asking to see our money because it was different,” said Madolyn. “They really wanted to hear us talk, so they could hear our accents.”
The goal of the organization is to promote world peace through communication and understanding.
“We reached the goal by talking to the people,” said Jessica. “I mean, taking the time to talk to them, going to all the government places, learning about their natural life, telling people what the United States is like, visiting with them and not just passing by.”
And after attending this trip, their world-view changed.
“The thing that really stuck in my mind was this: I thought the world wasn’t that big. I thought it was just the United States, and that was it,” said Jessica. “Then I went to Australia and New Zealand and it’s, like, way bigger. Before, I was just focused on seeing the 50 states. I thought it would be a huge goal; then I realized it’s kind of small! It was really fun, a great learning experience. Now I want to get out and visit more countries.”
For more information on People to People, visit www.studentambassadors.org.