Abby Nadeau
Community Editor

ìI have long believed, as have many before me, that peaceful relations between nations require mutual respect between individuals.î

This statement was made by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 when he created the People to People Ambassador Programs.

People to People Student Ambassadors is a program designed to introduce students to cultures unlike their own.

It provides them with ìhands-onî experiences to learn about different socities and it gives them the knowledge to better understand the differences in each culture.

In order to be considered for the program students must be nominated by a teacher or a former People to People Student Ambassador.

Now that four local Forest Lake Area School students have been nominated they are looking to the community for support.

Amber Haupt, a senior at Forest Lake High School, Andrew Grzybowski, a junior at FLHS, Kirsten Werness, a freshman at Southwest Jr. High, and Abby McClean, a freshman at North Lakes Academy, are four of 56 other Minnesota and Wisconsin students signed up for the 2006 program.

The group, over a period of 20 days, will visit six different countires including England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

From June 24 through July 13, four delegates from People to People will guide the students through the Louvre, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Stonehenge, the Anne Frank house and many other historical places.

Each student will also spend time with a host family in different countries.

Another benefit for the trip besides the obvious cultural benefits, is the possible high school and college credits available for the trip.

ìIt isnít a field trip,î Haupt said. ìWe have to keep up with current events about the countries we are going before we leave, a journal has to be kept and activities are planned during the trip.î

While the students are young, they are old enough to understand the type of opportunity they have before them.

ìMost people donít get to experience what we are going to be able to experience,î Grzybowski said.

Both McClean and Haupt agreed stating, ìitís a once in a life-time kind of trip.î

In order for the students to participate in the program, along with letters of recommendation, applications and interviews, they must raise over $5000.

Each student has their own fundraising techniques. Some have plans for a bake, craft or yard sale but an over all collection is being taken during a car wash at Caseyís General Store in Wyoming on Saturday, May 13.

An account has been set up for the students at Wells Fargo Bank in Forest Lake. For more information about making a donation through Wells Fargo the public can contact Matt Kijenski at Wells Fargo, 651-205-7400, Ronnie Haupt at 651-464-6388 or Karla Peterson 651-983-7114.

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Forest Lake Times
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Forest Lake, MN 55025
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