Over the summer student ambassadors from the People to People Student Ambassador Program traveled across the world to Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. Three WHS seniors Rebecca Hastings, Pierre Bono, Molly Gove had the pleasure of representing WHS as they traveled with the People to People program.

The People to People Student Ambassador program was founded by former President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 as a way for people to spread peace through understanding of other cultures. Eisenhower thought that the more people knew about other countries and their cultures, the less likely it was that they would make snap judgments.

Overall the trip was 21 days long as students spent approximately a week in each country. Bono went with a delegation consisting of students from all over Massachusetts, while Hastings and Gove attended with a delegation of students from California, Michigan and Colorado. Both delegations followed the same itinerary, participating in the same activities in each country.

Bono’s favorite part of the trip was visiting the school in Fiji. “It was interesting to see what schools were like in another country. I felt very fortunate for the education I am receiving after seeing the condition of their school.”

Hastings enjoyed seeing how other people live, “Before the trip I never really thought about how different other people’s lives are from mine. Because of the People to People program I was able to really be a part of other people’s lives, and experience what that is like.”

All three seniors highly recommend the program to any student who is nominated to participate in the program. The students commented how they all formed long lasting friendships, and have priceless memories that they will never forget.