Monday, October 09, 2006

 

The Rest of the Story-The Purpose of this Blog

Our 10-year old boy Keegan has been invited to participate in the People to People Student Ambassador program. It is an honor to be asked to join and the program is by invitation only. Keegan was recommended by a former teacher. The program was started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower who believed that if you sat down with someone that is different than you and shared a meal and became friends that you wouldn’t want to go starting a war with them. You can read all about the program here.

Keegan received a letter in August inviting him to attend an informational meeting about the program. That meeting was this past Saturday, October 7th, 2006.

Keegan is a twin. Kaleb is his identical twin brother. On our way to the meeting I explained to Kaleb that Keegan may get to go to Australia without him and attempted to come to an understanding that this would be okay. On the interstate Kaleb started to expound on his elaborate plans to stowaway in luggage or merely follow Keegan there (I guess I was supposed to drive him).

This is a real issue. There is this bond between identical twins. If you have identical twins then you certainly understand. If you don’t then let me just say that this is not merely a sibling thing. It would be like if you and your wife went out on a date but one of you didn’t go. It just would not feel right! There is no “fair issue” involved. Someone would be missing.

We arrived at the meeting place and as we started to enter the conference room we were asked if we would like an additional application for Kaleb…WHAT? Well, yeah, sure! SWEET! So Kaleb can go too? What?

The informational meeting was very informational. President Eisenhower, student exchange program, 19-day trip down under, application process, invite your friends, $6,000, high school credit… WHAT? WAIT, BACK UP. How much? Yeah, $6000 total. PER KID. The application needs to be submitted in about 10 days with $400! PER KID. CRICKEY! I wanted to crawl down under my chair.

But by this time they have you hooked! They’ve showed videos, a PowerPoint presentation, former student and parent testimonials…the teachers that will be leading the expedition. Let’s just say that Kaleb and Keegan were totally sold by this point.

Then they talked about the application process. The application has areas about grades, extra-curricular activities and the impact that the participant may have on Australia as they represent Kansas City and the USA. This is where my mind started spinning and led me to write the previous blog entry. My kids barely get average grades and don’t participate in many extra-curricular activities-unless making dinner and helping take care of their 2 ½-year old brother and their 9-month old brother count.

But y’know, I think they are perfect for this type of program. They are “normal”. They are a typical representation of children from the USA. They have 2 working parents who live paycheck to paycheck. Even though they are from an affluent community they are not wealthy. They love to learn. They love their family. They like to play. They really are kind kids and great friends.

They are also in a unique situation. They have opportunities all around them. Even though we do not reside in the upper influential area of Southern Johnson County, their mom teaches in the middle of that area and Kaleb & Keegan attend a grade school in that affluent area. The quality of their education is top-notch. They get to learn along with other students who have more financial opportunities. They are close enough to be in a position to do whatever they want to do and to be the leader of their own future and far enough away to understand the hard work that is involved in achieving success. They might not have the money, but they have access to the opportunities.

The informational meeting went onto explain the application process in more detail. If you applied, paid the money and proved that you were “mature enough to go” you would pretty much be let into the program.

So now I was no longer freaking out about the application process and had moved back to the cost. There is a fundraising website that they kept referring to.

So the meeting ended. We began our drive home. I explain that the program sounds great. But I don’t know how we are going to finance this trip, this huge event. An event of a lifetime.

But I know we have to try. I started to think of ways to raise the funds. Maybe we can have a garage sale, maybe sell stuff on eBay. Maybe ask for donations. Maybe…So I check out the fundraising website. It suggests you come up with creative ideas to sell things to make a profit. Then go ask all of your friends and family for contributions. Wow, thanks website.But we at the very least have to try. We’ll try to think of something. So this is where this blog comes in. This will chronicle the journey to raise the funds to go to Australia. Maybe we can do it. Maybe not. Maybe this is only the first venture to raise money, maybe college is next! Maybe they’ll start their own business. Who knows?

-Durk (Dad)-

Comments:
DB,
Thanks for the comment you left on my blog. That's an awesome goal to send the twins down under. Let me know how I can help.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?