A new scholarship is helping student travelers say “ciao” to America and “buongornio” to other countries.
Several students from Thomas County Central High School and Thomas County Middle School have been awarded scholarships to attend the summer 2019 “Splendors of the Mediterranean” trip to Italy and Greece.
Scholarships ranged from $500 to $1,500. Recipients are Abigail Beamon, Shadrick Hollis, Katelyn Watson, Osmarie Tolentino-Deleon, Georgia Rose Patton, Za'Miriya Sneed and Britney White.
TCCHS freshman Abigail Beamon applied for a scholarship because she knew that without one her family would not be able to afford the trip.
“I have always been a person who wants to go out on an adventure to see what I’m learning,” Beamon said. “When I found out I was getting a scholarship I was extremely happy because that meant I would have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity….”
"Splendors of the Mediterranean" was advertised throughout the system’s age-appropriate social studies classes. The trip is planned and coordinated through the TCCHS International Travel Program and EF (Education First) Tours.
“We will see art, culture, history, geography, and economics in action in a way that students could never possibly experience in a classroom,” program coordinator Kelly Arno said. “This trip will be a life-changing opportunity for students to be able to connect classroom content to the real world around them in the place where history actually happened.”
Scholarship applications were available for most of September. To be considered, interested students had to fill out an application form that included a financial need questionnaire for parents to complete, Arno explains. Also, students had to write a one-page essay about why they want to travel and turn in two teacher recommendations.
TCCHS sophomore Shadrick Hollis is “overwhelmed with joy” at receiving his scholarship.
“My family isn’t very wealthy, and we are unable to fully cover the cost of the trip,” he said. “I need one (a scholarship) in order to participate in this trip of a lifetime. I can now plan on going on this trip.”
Some current MERIT eighth grade students were invited by teacher recommendation to attend the trip.
TCMS student Georgia Rose Patton has never been outside the United States.
“I work really hard for my grades, and when I heard they were giving away an academic scholarship, I applied to see if I could get one,” Patton said. “I’m so excited and grateful to have received the scholarship. I’m so ready to go on this trip. I wish it was tomorrow so I didn’t have to wait.”
TCMS scholarship recipient Osmarie Tolentino-Deleon wanted to participate in order to experience and better understand these countries.
“I want to see food from outside the U.S. and experience people and [their] culture,” she said.
The tour is a 15-day journey that treks through more than a dozen cities and spans both Italy and Greece. Stops include Venice, Florence, Rome, the Vatican, the Meteora region of Greece and Athens.
“We chose this tour with a social studies focus because of the in-depth nature of the itinerary that EF Tours created and the incredible diversity of sites that we will be visiting,” Arno said. “We will learn detailed history about both Italy and Greece, uncovering many layers of two fascinating cultures from ancient times to modern day.”
Hollis truly wants to visit a different country and feels the trip will “really open my eyes and make me see the world from a different view.”
Beamon looks forward to “everything about the trip.”
“It offers education, entertainment and experience,” she said. “I’m so glad I can attend.”