September 8, 2006

It’s a Small World

Evergreen students walk a mile in Australian kids’ shoes as People to People Ambassadors

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

It is said that the best way to understand people is to walk a mile in their shoes. Over summer break, 30 Bay area pre-teens crossed the international dateline to do just that.

The 30 lucky students included five from Almaden: Laura Jacques (Bret Harte Middle School), Noel Lines (Sandcastle Academy), Katie Kupec (Graystone Elementary), Cole Brady (Castillero Middle School) and Kaitlyn Robson (Dartmouth Middle School). They returned home with memories that will last a lifetime such as digging for Thunder Eggs, learning to throw and actually catch boomerangs, playing Aborigine didgeridoos, visiting native classrooms, hopping with kangaroos, touching crocodiles and cuddling koala bears.

Theirs was an adventure nearly a year in the making, one that took them across the world to the land down under, where first-hand lessons in life on a farm, native rituals, hikes into the Rain Forrest, snuggling with Koalas and crocodiles, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef—even school dress codes came with a healthy dose of reality—packing their own bags, washing their own laundry, taking their own pictures, exchanging their own currency and yes, the biggest lesson of all, budgeting.

They were the latest contingent of student ambassadors selected to represent their communities and their country through a program started in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a way to increase cultural awareness around the globe. He believed that ordinary citizens of different nations, if able to communicate directly, would be more likely to solve their differences and find a way to live in peace. He then put those beliefs into action and created People to People Ambassador Programs.

In the 50 years since it began, eight U.S. presidents have followed in Eisenhower’s footsteps and served as honorary chairman of People to People International, including

John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford. Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush while student delegations journeyed to 34 countries on every continent around the world.

Walt Disney created the “It’s a Small World” attraction in 1964 after his participation in the People to People International White House conference.

Life down under
The 30 lucky students included several from Evergreen: Kevin Cordon (Carolyn Clark Elementary School), Kalvin Ngo (James Smith Elementary School) and Karina Kak (Tom Matsumoto Elementary School). They returned home with memories that will last a lifetime such as digging for Thunder Eggs, learning to throw and actually catch boomerangs, playing Aborigine Didgeridoos, visiting native classrooms, hopping with kangaroos, touching crocodiles and cuddling koala bears.

Stephanie Stapleton from Campbell and Kaitlyn Robson from Almaden bonded during their adventure.

Karina enjoyed being paired with students from an Australian school. “My partners were two indigenous Australians. They showed me around their school and later we participated in activities. In our school they would never teach us about Aussie slang but in Australia our delegation manager taught us some of it.”

Kevin pointed out that the big difference in the schools is that Australian elementary schools go through seventh grade rather than 5th or 6th grade here.

She also appreciated seeing the sites of Australia firsthand. “I could always read about how long the Great Barrier Reef is. And I can always see it in pictures. But I could actually be part of it and see it with my own eyes.”

Kevin said that the best part of the trip for him was the visit to the Blue Mountains. “We got to ride the steepest train in the world! It was interesting to see all the nature that has been preserved for so many years.”

Katie Kupec of Almaden Valley said she enjoyed meeting the Aussies firsthand and loved holding a koala bear and petting a kangaroo. She told her mom, Mimi, that while the kids are similar to American kids they do have some interesting slang words. Breakfast is ‘brecky’ and at the pool the kids wore ‘cossies’ and ‘boardies’ instead of swimsuits.

They also mustered up the nerve to try the Aussie staple Vegemite, which is as common to Aussie kids as peanut butter is to American kids. "It was awful!" said Cole Brady of Almaden Valley. "It tasted like pure salt!"

All of the students were nominated either by their teachers, principals or by community leaders. Before embarking on the Student Ambassador Program, the 11 and 12-year-old boys and girls, along with family members attended a series of orientation meetings designed to teach them about the history and culture of the Australian people, as well as important details surrounding the overseas experience—a trip that for most would be their first solo adventure.

All in all it was a great trip for the students and left them with many vivid memories of life down under. “I thought it was funny that the kids had to wear uniforms,” said student George Sakkas, “but they didn't have to wear shoes!”