Pre-Travel Checklist

December 1

• Passport Application should be started

January 15

• Health Form should have been turned in. Preferrably at the first Orientation Meeting in January.
• Submit to Delegation Leader

February 9

• Passport Photos should be turned in.
• Submit to Delegation Leader

March 1

• Should have received your passport by now. Submit your passport at this time. Make copies of the passport to keep at home. (3) copies should be made, one to keep at home and one to take while you travel and another for the leader to have on file.
• Submit to Delegation Leader (2)

March 1

• Air Waiver of Responsibility form and Land Waiver of Responsibility forms due.
• Submit to Program Office and Delegation Leader

April 1

• Those that are not U.S. Citizens (Re-entry permit and Visas) due.
• Submit to Delegation Leader

April 1

• Success Contracts due.
• Submit to Delegation Leader.

Some information you will need to submit online at OnBoard (http://www.peopletopeople.com/onboard)

March 1

• Passport information - number and dates

March 1

• Apparel sizing information

March 1

• Interests/allergies

April 1

• Emergency contact information

General Homestay Information

The European Discovery: Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland will have a three night home stay in Austria or Switzerland.

General Homestay Riminders:

Home stays vary depending on age groups and itineraries. The majority stay in a single-family house, often with children, or are hosted by schools or community groups. Other cultural awareness opportunities which students may experience are farm stays, bed-and-breakfast type accomodations, or a European guest house, which is similar to a bed-and-breakfast except that there are opportunities to interact with other people in the residence.

Depending on the itinerary and type of home stay accommodations, Student Ambassadors may be placed by themselves or with one or more additional Student Ambassador. (Note: Sixth graders traveling with a middle school delegation will have a home stay or guest house experience.)

Preparing for a Home Stay

Part of your preparation should be to prepare gifts for your host, whether a family, innkeeper, or someone you have met while you have traveled. This could include the Delegation Manager, Bus Driver, host family, etc. (Note: Fifth and Sixth grade programs only do not have home stays.)

Some suggestions include small gifts from your city and/or state, like local cookbooks, key chains, hats, books, poster, keepsakes, or even a certificate of appreciation. Some creative Student Ambassador delegations have had pencils, pens, or notepads printed with the delegation name or area. If done as a group, these are personal and easy to transport. Many Student Ambassadors compile persoanl photo albums by taking pictures of family, pets, hometown, school. friends, sports, and other applicable events and items.

During the Home Stay

Fun and safety are our priorities for the home stay. In the Ambassador Leader Travel Handbook, the program office will announce the "code word" for the year. All delegations should let students know the code word and how to use it. If at any point a delegate feels unsafe, he or she can call the delegation leaders or program office and use the code word. If a code word is used the leaders will immediately contact the program office and the student will be retrieved ASAP.

Issues Classed as Emergencies:

• Students not having beds of their own, or having to share a room with someone of the opposit sex
• No food provided
• A medical problem - injury or serious illness or allergies
• Anything considered to be dangerous or illegal
• Any person or circumstance that makes a student feel threatened in any way

Things that are NOT Emergencies:

• Not liking the food or the mealtime hours.
• Someone in the family smokes
• Alcohol is served in the family

Make the Most of this People to People Opportunity

• Keep an open mind: "It's different, not worse."
• Consider your home stay as a learning experience.

Health Information

Background:

Every year, delegates traveling on People to People journeys come with a variety of medical conditions. People to People is committed to helping delegates participate in a program, regardless of health issues. The vast majority of medical situations do not prevent students from traveling, as long as students are able to self-regulated their conditions. People to People has staff dedicted to providing the means for students with health issues to travel.

In order for People to People to make accomodations fora student with health issues and ensure safety while traveling, the program office must be aware of the student's medical conditon. People to People health forms are designed to help each family make the program aware of their child's medical needs.

Guidelines for Delegates Traveling with Medical Conditions:

• A delegate must be able to independently handle any required medications, injections, or other treatments without supervision Due to liability, leaders cannot hold or administer recurring medication or treatment.
• Delegates must bring enough prescription or over-the-counter medication to last the duration of teh progrm.
• Delegates with medical alert jewelry must wear it at all times during the journey.
• Delegates with dietary allergies must inspect all food for ingredients related to the allergy. People to People and delegation leaders are unable to control food contents during travel.

If you have questions or information about your child's medical condition, please contact your delegation leader or the program office.

It is important that all health forms are accurate and submitted in a timely manner in order for the program office to ensure the best support for your child. Any medical issues that are disclosed will be kept in complete confidentiallity, available only to leaders and the program office.

To ensure the program office has enough time to provide the best support for the delegate and the leader, health forms must be submitted to leaders no later than January 15.

Passport and Visa Information

Passports:

Many of you will be applying for your first passport. It is important for you to begin this process at your earliest convenience, ideally before January 2011 as the process can take a minimum of 4 weeks. So the earlier you apply the sooner we can take care of the paperwork with the home office in regards to passport information. This would include anyone that needs to renew a passport. A valid passport needs to valid up to six months after our program return date. Considering this I would say that if your passport is good until 2012 then you would not need to renew it.

Information regarding obtaining a U.S. passport is included in the Student Ambassador Protocol. The sooner you get started on this the better.

Probably the easiest place to get this done is the U.S. Post Office.

The following items will be needed when you apply for the passport:

1. Proof of citizenship by having a previously issued W.S. Passport, Certified Birth Certificate, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship or Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth).
2. Proof of Identification by having a valid driver's license, previously issued U.S. Passport, Naturalization Certificate, Current Government ID.....
3. Money for cost of Passport - ________________
4. For the European Discovery journey we will not need any visas.

We will discuss this at our social to clear up any questions, etc.

Student's Guide to the Project Fair

Background:

The People to People Student Amabassador Programs will provide opportunity for you to expand your knowledge about the world beyond our own borders. Pre-travel research is another way to increase global awareness about your destination countries. As you are learning about teh geography, history, government, and culture of your destination in months prior to your travel, you will determine a specific topic you'd like to learn more about. You'll research this topic and become an expert at it. At your last orientation meeting, or the second to last orientation meeting you will share a display or PowerPt at a "Project Fair" time. Specific dates will be set for this once we solidify our Orientation Meeting dates.

Topic Examples:

• An in-depth look at an era, significant incident, or person in one of the destination countries history
• Environmental issues, conservation efforts, endangered species of destination countries
• Food, clothing/fashion or music (traditional or contemporary)
• Customs
• The destination country's film industry
• Creatures of the destination countries
• Geologic activity
• Artwork of the Louve (France)
• Magnificent structures of any of the destination countries
• Geological features of destinatin countries

The Display/Power Pt:

• If you have been to a science fair or to a museum, you may have seen displays that are engaging and interesting. Try to apply what you've seen to create a display so appealing that no one can pass it. While it's most important that you have expanded your global awareness by becoming an expert on your topic, you should also challenge yourself creatively, by coming up with an engaging way to display your learning.
• A PowerPt to be created would include the same information as above but just be created in a digital format. (Computer, projector, and screen will be available for your use when presenting.) Length may vary: 5 at a minimum - 10 minutes at a maximum.

Display Tips:

• Engage the senses! Instead of just showing a printed recipe, display the ingredients along with the completed recipe or have a tasting session. :) Instead of just showing images of a musical instrument, have a recording of the music playing. Not all topics will allow for such display items, but do your b est, given the topic. A poster/PowerPt with great photos, graphics, or other images can be engaging and interesting, or you might also consider an automatic slide show from a laptop.

Instructions:

• Select a topic that interests you
• Get your leader's approval on the topic
• Submit your topic to your leader
• Use library books, reliable web resources, educational DVDs, and other resources to research this topic. Make sure you document these resources in some type of bibliography as a part of your PowerPt or display.
• Determine a creative way to display your learning or how it will be presented in a PowerPt.
• Prepare your display/PowerPt for the 2nd to last or last Orientation Meeting.

Evaluation:

• In this activity you will be evaluated on how you: share knowledge of your topic, demonstrate effort and creativity in the display/PowerPt, explain resources in your display. A rubric will be given to you when you start your project.

Social - December 5th Wickiup Hill Facility

The social has been established for the high school European Discovery Journey happening in the summer of 2011. It will be held at the Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center. The address is:

10260 Morris Hills Road
Toddville, IA 52341

(319)892-6485

It will be best if you Google this spot for our meeting as everyone will be coming from different directions. It is not difficult to find and has plenty of parking.

This will Not be the location for our regular meetings. We will be looking for possible locations for our (4) Orientation Meetings to be held after the holidays. If anyone has any ideas about a location that would be large enough for 80 to 100 people at minimal cost please let me know. Everyone that I contact seems to want $150.00 or so in order to meet or require "Proof of Insurance". I am open to suggestions. It would be greatly appreciated.

Please contact me with any suggestions and hopefully we can discuss them at the social in December.

New Information:

As mentioned in the e-mail sent on Wednesday, November 24th, the social eats should be some sort of appetizer, dessert, main dish or snack of some kind.

Time frame: 1:15-3:15

Below are the countries and assigned delegates for each country:
***If your name does not appear on the list below please bring a treat from a country of your choice! :)

Adams, Blari, Christiansen, Clark, Coelho, McKenna Cole, Hansen, Dougherty.........France

Dirks, Dye, Goodell, Ryan Cole, Hawbaker, Heims, Herb, Kennedy, Roger Halstead.........Itlay

Leonard, Litow, Martin, Martins, Mathis, McGowen, Mercer, Tracy Halstead..............Austria

Miller, More, Siddell, Sloan, Thomas, Toledo, Witte, Andrea Fredrickson...............................Switzerland

Be prepared for some fun and the start of a FANTASTIC Journey!!!!!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone again on Sunday and getting to know everyone better.

My cell number is (319)270-3816.

Academic Credit Information

How Do I Get Credit?

• Attend all meetings (you will need to make up any you miss).
  
• Complete all pre-travel assignments (guidelines and expectations for each will be provided with the assignment).
  
• Participate in all pre-travel and travel activities and assignments, including completing the research project and travel journal assignments.
  
• Uphold Ambassadorial behavior standards during pre-travel and travel phases (as defined by the Standards for Success).
  
• Leaders will evaluate all students with a Pass/No Pass for both pre-travel and travel phases of the program and will send a credit report to the Washington School of World Studies. This usually occurs within six weeks of returning from travel.
  
• The Washington School of World Studies will send a transcript to each student who receives a passing grade. Students can then provide the transcript to their high school to request academic credit (It is up to each individual school whether or not the credit is accepted).
  
• For more information, visit the Washington School of World Studies website at schoolofwrldstudies.org.
  

Eastern Washington University (EWU) College Credit Information

• A variety of courses are offered to students in 7th grade through 12th grade, from the Eisenhower Center of Eastern Washington University. Course requirements are determined by the course and number of credits being earned.
  
• Students enroll directly with EWU and pay tuition to the Eisenhower Center.
  
• Cost per credit is $158.00 (2009 cost)
  
• For more information, visit EWU's Eisenhower Center website at ewo.edu/x6309.xml.

Note: There is no need to sign up or enroll to receive high school credit. All Student Ambassadors entering grades 9 through 12 are automatically enrolled.

Navigating OnBoard Website

In the OnBoard web site Delegates Can:

• Contact fellow delegates
• Learn more about their leaders
• Update their personal information
• Check orientation meeting schedules
• View travel schedules (airlines and accomodations)
• Make tuition payments
• Gain fundraising skills
• Learn more about each destination through interactive study guides
• Learn how to apply for passports and learn other skills for traveling abroad
• Download forms
• Access the People to People Alumni Community

Log-in to OnBoard

• peopletopeople.com/onboard
  
• The following is needed to log in:
• USERNAME ____________________
• PASSWORD ____________________

Upon enrollment, you will receive temporary login information. At initial log in you will be able to change your login and update your person information. You will aslo be asked to provide additional information. The "Additional Information" screen may be passed but all information requested must be entered before travel to ensure that each studen't journey is set up appropriately.

Required Information (and due dates)

• Health Information (Due January 15) or before
• Pasport Information (Due March 1) or before
• Shirt Size (Due March 1) or before
• Emergency Contact (Due April 1) or before

Parent Use of the Onboard Website

• While delegates are traveling, parents can use the OnBoard website to learn of any changes to the itinerary, airline schedules and accomodations.

Orientation Meeting Goals and Expectations

• Orientation Meeting Goals
  
• To understand the origins of People to People Program, the role of the Student Ambassador, and the value of cross-cultural exchange.
• To Promote global awareness by learning about the countries and peoples the delegation will visit.
• To develop citizenship, Ambassadorial behavior, and communication skills.
• To bond the students as a travel team and prepare them to successfully meet the challenges of world travel.
  
• Expectations of Student Ambassadors at Orientation Meetings:
  
• Attend and participate in all meetings.
• Be on time and prepared with materials and assignments.
• Uphold Ambassadorial standards at the meetings, including appropriate dress.
• Check the OnBoard website regularly.
  
• Be familiar with content of the Student Ambassador Protocol.

Interview Dates and Location Set

Multiple times and dates have been estabslished for interview dates for high school journey paricipation. The location of these interviews has also been chosen.

The location will be Panera Bread just off Edgewood Road, directly across from Westdale Mall. This location is on the southwest part of town which may make it a bit easier for those coming from the Iowa City to find. The address is listed below:

Panera Bread
2665 Edgewood Parkway SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Phone: (319)654-9452

Interview Dates are listed below:

Saturday, November 27 9:00-9:45
Saturday, November 27 10:00-10:45
Saturday, November 27 11:00-11:45
Saturday, November 27 12:00-12:45
Saturday, November 27 1:00-1:45
Saturday, November 27 2:00-2:45
Saturday, November 27 3:00-3:45
Saturday, November 27 4:00-4:45

Sunday, November 28 12:00-12:45
Sunday, November 28 1:00-1:45
Sunday, November 28 2:00-2:45
Sunday, November 28 3:00-3:45
Sunday, November 28 4:00-4:45

Monday, November 29 6:00- 6:45
Monday, November 29 7:00 - 7:45

Tuesday, November 30 6:00-6:45
Tuesday, November 30 7:00-7:45

Wednesday, December 1 6:00-6:45
Wednesday, December 1 7:00-7:45

Thursday, December 2 6:00-6:45
Thursday, December 2 7:00-7:45

Friday, December 3 6:00-6:45
Friday, December 3 7:00-7:45


Interviews will last approximately 30 minutes with a 15 minute or so question and answer time for parents and delegates together.

If you have any questions regarding an arranged interview time, items to bring, etc. please contact Roger Halstead at (319)-270-3816.

For anyone that is unable to make any of these interview dates or possibly lives outside of our area that would make it difficult to get here we can arrange an over-the-phone interview.

Passport Information

It is never to early to begin working on your passport for the upcoming travel season. For information regarding application for or renewal off an existing passport go to the following address: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport.

If your passport has been issued by another country please talk to me. Very important.

Fundraising Video

There is a new fundraising video available this year. It consists of two parts, both of which we will be viewing in Orientation Meeting #1 and Orientation Meeting #2. If you for some reason you are not at one of these meetings then you can view it at the OnBoard website. This website will be found at the People to People website.

To log onto the People to People website click on the address below:

Student Enrollment Options

Delegates have a few options when traveling with PTP in 2011. Below you will see travel options if you would happen to want to travel with a different age group.

• 5th grade may travel with Junior High
• 7th grade may travel with elementary
• 8th grade may travel with high school
• 9th grade may travel with junior high