Teen headed to Europe (3/4/05)

PENNVILLE — The farthest Jasmine LeMaster has ever been from home is Washington, D.C. But as a member of the People to People Student Ambassador Program, the teen will spend several weeks in Europe this summer.

“I’ve never been too many places” — not counting her class trip to the nation’s capital when she was an eighth grader at East Jay Middle School — LeMaster, 14, a Jay County High School freshman, said this week. But she’s looking forward to “the opportunity to go to another country.”

The student ambassadors will leave June 20 and will spend approximately three weeks learning about the government, economy and culture of France, Switz-erland, Austria and Italy. They will take part in briefings at embassies and ministries, discussions with industry and trade officials, site visits to headquarters of international organizations and meetings with youth clubs.

The program is operated by People to People International, an organization founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 “to further international goodwill and understanding,” according to information provided by the group.

Each student ambassador is selected on the basis of recommendations, including references and personal interviews with members of a screening committee in their local community.

Nancy LeMaster said her daughter’s nomination was based on her grades. “She’s always been a really excellent student,” she said. “I’m really proud of her and excited for her.”

The teen is also a member of the Jay County Marching Patriots Color Guard and the high school track team.

LeMaster applied for the program in October, and was called for and completed an interview later that month. She was told it would be a few weeks before she heard anything. But she was pleasantly surprised when “they called me that same night and told me I was accepted.”

She will be the only student from Jay County making the trip, and she admitted she’s a little nervous about traveling with people she doesn’t know. “I’m shy at first until I get to know them,” she said. She’s also never flown before, and added, “I suppose I might be (nervous) when I have to go.”

But those feelings don’t diminish her desire to make the trip. “I’m most looking forward to going to Paris” and seeing the Eiffel Tower, she said. The student group also will visit Vienna, Venice, Florence and Rome.

Her mother, however, feels much differently about the upcoming trip.

“I’m scared to death of her going,” she said. “(Her daughter) says ‘Oh, Mom, lift your wing!’ ... I told her we’ll have an outrageous phone bill because she’ll have to call me everyday ... It’s going to be the longest 20 days of my life.

“But for her to get to do something like this, it will be worth my worry,” she added.

As part of her orientation for the trip, LeMaster has attended monthly meetings, where organizers brief the students on how to act, what to pack and “what to expect” during their European travels.

LeMaster also needs to raise about $2,000 more to cover the cost of the $5,000 trip. She’s hoping to secure donations from area civic organizations and other sources.[[In-content Ad]]