Thomas County Central High School International Travel Program has announced scholarship recipients for its fifth annual trip. This summer 2021 voyage is to Japan.
Students Savannah Taylor, Phoebe Esra, Norman Desourdy, Marshadron Hollis and Kirsten Williams earned a cumulative amount of $10,000 in scholarships to help fund their trip.
“It is extremely difficult to choose scholarship recipients,” TCCHS International Travel Program Coordinator Kelly Arno said. “The TCCHS International Travel Committee does not take it lightly, and we discuss and debate and argue over who will be our final recipients.”
Beneficiaries are grateful to the travel committee for choosing them to receive a scholarship.
“I am both shocked and extremely excited to be getting a scholarship,” freshman Phoebe “Ari” Esra said. “I never thought in a million years that I would be awarded one, but it was a very pleasant surprise. I‘m not sure I would have been able to go without it, so this means the world to me.”
Sophomore Norman Desourdy is honored to receive a scholarship.
“I may have been able to go without the scholarship, but it would have been difficult,” he said. “This will be my first trip outside of the country. I feel excited about Japan being my first trip and eagerly await the trip.”
Also, Aslyn Plymel received the $500 Zhyria Currie Memorial Scholarship. Currie, a former Thomas County Middle School student, died from cancer in early 2019. Her older sister, TCCHS student Za’Miriya Sneed, attended the 2019 Italy and Greece tour.
“When I learned about her passing, I called EF Tours to see what we could do for this family, and one of the things offered to us was a $500 memorial scholarship to honor Za'Miriya's sister,” Arno said.
Arno received an email from the girls’ mother, China Currie, who indicated she would like the scholarship to be awarded to a student either personally affected by cancer or who had someone close to them affected by it.
“Zhyria had a big heart, and she wanted to travel the world,” Currie wrote in the email. “I know she would be proud of this scholarship.”
To be considered for a scholarship, students must enroll at TCCHS for the 2020-2021 school year. Also, participants must be 16 or older by June 1, 2021, or 15 with two teacher recommendations. Scholarship applications are available during each tour’s first recruitment meeting, Arno explains. The form includes a parent survey about financial needs, a student essay about why they want to go on the trip, and two teacher recommendations.
“The TCCHS International Travel Committee goes over each application and chooses the students with the greatest need for financial aid and the greatest desire to travel,” she said. “The process is anonymous, so we don't know who is getting a scholarship until we've chosen the top applications.”
This tour marks the program’s first excursion to Asia. Participants will visit five regions of Japan, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Hakone (Mt. Fuji). The 11-day voyage will highlight the country’s history from Imperial Dynasty to a world leader in technology and pop culture. Sites to see will include temples, natural wonders, cities and war memorials.
Japan fascinates Esra. She hopes to learn more about the country’s culture and language.
“Everything from the culture to the art to the fashion is incredibly interesting,” she said.
Sophomore Kirsten Williams, 16, previously attended the program’s trip to Italy and Greece. She enjoys learning about different cultures.
“I want to take part in the Japan trip to learn more about the Japanese culture,” she said. “I am interested in the Japanese school system and Japanese fashion.”
Japanese culture intrigues Desourdy, 15.
“The culture of Japan has always intrigued me, such as the vibrant traditional villages and festivals or even the unique lifestyles present in Japan,” he said.
Currently, the program’s scholarship fund is allocated $7,000 annually by the Thomas County Board of Education. Donations make up any excess amount. However, Arno says the travel committee hopes to supplement this in future years via fundraising efforts and incentives.
“Everyone who applies is so deserving of a scholarship, and my dream is that any student who wants to travel with us will have the opportunity, no matter the cost,” Arno said.
Anyone wishing to donate to the scholarship fund may send a check to Thomas County Central High School made out to TCCHS International Travel Program.