Pay it Forward
In the spring of 2010 I was a recipient of a $500 scholarship from People to People to be used towards my program tuition for my European adventure trip that summer. I received the good news while being a vendor at Party for the Planet, an Earth Day celebration at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo. I sold smencils, (pencils made from recycled newspapers) home made jewelry, decoupage plates, and all natural home made cookies. I donated 20% of my proceeds from the event back to the Zoo. In the spring of 2011, I was delighted to once again be a vendor at Party for the Planet at the Zoo and again I donated 20% of my proceeds from the event back Connecticut's only accredited Zoo. I was once again privileged to receive a $1,000.00 scholarship from People to People to be used towards my program tuition for my 2011 summer Great Wall and Beyond China trip. It was then that I decided to share my own fund-raising proceeds with four other People to People student ambassadors that were also fund-raising. Sarah Breault and Mickey Giuntoli of Milford, along with JD Walsh from Cromwell were all traveling on the same trip with me to China and Erin Goff of Milford was traveling to England. Each one was at a different goal level. Afterwards, I found out that one student had reached 80 % of his goal while I was still at 50% of my goal when I made the donation but I did not mind. I know first hand what hard work and commitment it takes to fund raise during the year in addition to school and family obligations and every bit of support can make a difference. After returning home from my China trip this summer I was nominated for the 2011 National Student Ambassador of the Year Award. My trips to Europe in 2010 and China in 2011 were both rewarding and educational experiences and I am thrilled and honored just to be nominated for this prestigious award. Part of the nomination requirement was to write an essay based on a meaningful or life-altering event of my trip. What I learned and observed traveling as a People to People Student Ambassador to Europe in 2010 and China in 2011 has changed me for the better and the decisions I make and the way I view things continue to be influenced by my experiences abroad. Although my visit to the concentration camp during my European Adventure in 2010 had a monumental impact on me, I chose to write about my encounter with the homeless children of China during my 2011 trip. I came home and learned that on any given night, approximately 20 million people are homeless in China with three hundred thousand of them being children and 750,000 men, women and children are homeless in the United States which is sad because everyone deserves to have a home, especially children. Children have the power to change the world! Children are our future. Future People to People Student Ambassadors. You too can make a difference. Reach out to a local organization in your community to get started like the Boys & Girls Village in Milford, CT( www.bgvillage.org) and encourage others to get involved and expand globally to Feed the Children (feedthechildren.com) or Unicef.com or Heifer International where you can share the gift of an animal for as little as $10.00 (www.heifer.org), Remember, act locally, think globally and pay it forward.