Tippy Valley Students Headed To AustraliaAKRON - While in Australia this summer, Tippecanoe Valley High School juniors Seth Fincher and Scott Armstrong will snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge and meet with government officials.
Fincher, 16, and Armstrong, 17, are making the trip around the world as part of the People to People Student Ambassador Program.
The program is an educational travel program founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, according to a provided press release. Fincher and Armstrong will explore Australia for 15 days as members of the Fort Wayne delegation. By participating in the Exploring Australia itinerary, the press releases states the two young men can "earn academic credit while getting to know the people, culture and history of the places visited."Eisenhower founded People to People during his presidency in 1956 with citizen leaders, including entertainer Bob Hope, Olympic champion Jesse Owens, amusement entrepreneur Walt Disney and Hallmark Cards founder Joyce Hall. "Having served as a military commander, Eisenhower believed that ordinary citizens of different nations could make a difference where governments could not," according to the press release.
People to People Student Ambassador Program is based in Spokane, Wash., and has been coordinating educational travel for more than 50 years.
Acceptance into the program is an honor, the press release states. "After being invited to enroll, Fincher and Armstrong submitted letters of recommendation and successfully completed an interview process. Before departing they will attend several orientation meetings with program leaders and fellow delegates to learn about the destination and prepare for the journey," it says.
During an interview Thursday afternoon, Fincher said he found out about the program when he received a letter requesting he come to a meeting about the program. At the meeting, he found out he had been nominated for the program.
Armstrong said a letter he received said he was nominated based on his PSAT score.
"I thought it was a scam," Armstrong said. "We called the corporation and we talked to them, and they told us what it was about. That's when we realized it would be educational."
"I thought it would be fun," Fincher said. "I wanted to do it, but I didn't know how much it would cost."
The two students have to raise at least $7,000 each for the trip. The cost includes such items as insurance.
One way the students have raised money is by sending out sponsorship letters. They also will have two Nelson's Port-A-Pit chicken sales to help them raise enough money for the trip. The first fundraiser is March 13 at the Warsaw Wal-Mart from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The second fundraiser is April 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rochester Kroger's.
Neither Armstrong or Fincher have ever been out of the country, but both are looking forward to going to Australia.
"I think it will be cool because we get to go diving in the Great Barrier Reef," said Fincher.
Armstrong said he studied a lot about the reef in elementary school. He also was a big fan of the late Steve Irwin, also known as the Crocodile Hunter, from Australia.
During their two weeks in the "land down under," Fincher said they will stay with host families. Armstrong said he was looking forward to eating kangaroo and going to places like the Sydney Opera House.
It won't all be fun and games. Armstrong said they will meet with government officials and learn about how the native people live.
Fincher said before they leave, they've been assigned quizzes to take. They have to learn about the Australian culture, customs and food.
When they leave June 17, they will fly from Fort Wayne to Los Angeles, then to Fiji and finally to Sydney.
Fincher and Armstrong have met with their 40-member group from Fort Wayne three times so far. Their next meeting is March 14, and they usually meet once a month.
Fincher is a member of the tennis, wrestling and baseball teams. He's also in National Honor Society and in the top 10 of his class.
Armstrong plays football, wrestles and plans to play tennis next year. He's also on the A's and B's honor roll.
For more information about supporting the two boys, call Fincher at home at 574-893-7821, or Armstrong on his cell phone at 574-371-7130. Fincher said people can contact them for more details, and they can send contributions to them directly or through the People to People program.
The official program Web site is at www.peopletopeople.com/OurPrograms/SAP/Pages/default.aspx
