Voyage Across the Atlantic: Students Explore Europe

Samantha Goldstein
Oceanside High School
Oceanside, NY

On July 14, 2007, 82 high school students from across the United States and Canada met at John F. Kennedy International Airport to embark on a ‘grand tour’ of Europe. The conference lasted for two weeks, and all participants received up to two college credits. Students were granted the privilege of exploring six European countries, while simultaneously delving into foreign cultures. The conference, known as Study Abroad Discover Europe, is one of many programs sponsored by LeadAmerica, an organization dedicated to "creating leaders for life."

I set out for my conference determined to further develop my passion for foreign cultures. While in Europe, I attended lectures given by a variety of speakers, ranging from an Oxford professor to the Director General for Cultural Politics in the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From the lectures, I learned about politics in the United Kingdom and foreign policy in Hungary. I was instructed that the European Union accepts new member states based upon the country-in-question's adherence to democracy and human rights. I also found out that the member states are engaged in a debate to determine if a written constitution should represent the EU. Overall, I was pleased to ascertain each country's roles in both Europe and the European Union, and was especially delighted to discover how these countries worked together as a whole.

Our group visited Oxford and London, England; Paris, France; Munich, Germany; Salzburg and Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary. Unforgettable sights included St. Paul's Cathedral in London and the Louvre in Paris. We cruised down the Rivers Seine in Paris and Danube in Bratislava. We toured Salzburg and saw the house that Mozart was born in, as well as several locations filmed in "The Sound of Music."

According to LeadAmerica's founder and executive director, Chris M. Salamone, "Leadership . . . begins with our young people . . . as they seek knowledge and understanding and work to improve the world around them." This declaration accurately describes my experience with LeadAmerica. Throughout the conference, I began to truly understand what it meant to be a leader. Leadership is a quality that comes from within. It is composed of a passion for learning and a desire to take action, and is utilized to truly make a difference. Through my experiences, I discovered some of the world's most breathtaking places and acquired insight on how different countries govern themselves and influence surrounding nations. I learned how the combination of responsibility, dedication, and solidarity come together to bring out the leader within.

Visit http://www.lead-america.org for more information on Study Abroad Discover Europe and LeadAmerica's other programs.