By Liz McBreen
Since Gravely found out that he will be taking part in the trip, he has been attending monthly meetings to prepare him. "I found out I was going a few months ago when I received the letter from People to People and I so was excited. It's really cool, I'm going to Australia.
People to People looks nationwide for middle and high school students who achieve high grades and participate in extracurricular activities. According to Gravely, 20 students from New York will be joined by 20 others from California who were chosen for the trip to Australia this summer. Once the students are notified, they begin the fundraising process. Gravely must reach a goal of $5,000 by May 10. "I have started writing letters to people asking them to sponsor me." He is currently writing letters to family, friends and corporations for sponsorship.
While traveling, Gravely will be logging his journey in a journal and taking pictures that he will be able to share with those who sponsor him when he returns to the states.
During his time down under, Gravely will travel across Australia, experience the outback, go snorkeling and hiking and see the Great Barrier Reef. The goal of the trip is for the students to learn, share and represent their community and culture.
Christopher's mother Sylta feels that this will be a timely experience for her son. "This is a great program, especially now. People from different cultures come together and get to know each other on a personal level."
The program was designed by former president Eisenhower to provide students with an interactive and cultural education in a foreign country. According to the Student Ambassador website, the goal of the program is to offer participants "an appreciation for the world in which they live, build their self-confidence, enrich their education through learning in the global classroom, and develop increased levels of maturity and independence."
Eisenhower's presidency was a time of gloal turmoil and stockpiled weapons of mass destruction. He founded People to People with the hope that citizens would travel to new countries, learn about new cultures and ensure that a nuclear war would never occur.
The selection process for the trip was based on Gravely's accomplishments and an informal interview. "All of the kids were interviewed together, and we all spoke to each other about ourselves and our hobbies," said Gravely.
During the interview, People to People chapter members meet with candidates to get to know the students who will potentially take an overseas trip. Typically, the candidates are asked why they want to be a Student Ambassador, what they want to gain from the experience and how they feel about being away from home for a few weeks.
Christopher's mother explained that he also needed to supply People to People with three letters of recommendation from teachers to ensure that he is responsible enough to take part in the trip.
Sylta explained that the students do not just get on a plane and go to another country. "They are given projects to do at their monthly meetings, so that they learn about the history and culture of the country they are visiting. They have to be well prepared, because they are traveling from one end of the country to another." The participants generally do a minimum of 12 hours of preparation for the trip, and the meetings allow the students to get to know the others that will be on the same trip.
Sylta said that her son has always been modest, "he doesn't go around telling everyone that he is going to Australia. He keeps things to himself. You would never know how smart he is, because he does not talk about it. He's just a great guy."
Gravely leaves the states on July 15, and will return about a month before he begins high school at Valley Stream North.
