July 22-23, 2017- A History Lesson
When *I* was in high school, "Russia" did not exist.
It was the USSR... the "Soviets". My president referred to it as the "Evil Empire".
One day, when I was young, someone from the West flew their private plane into Soviet airspace undetected, and landed in Red Square. It was viewed as such a 'victory' in the West, that the game I used to play on my Commodore 64, "Flight Simulator 2", actually added the 8-bit graphics of Red Square as a hidden flight challenge.
So you can imagine how I felt when earlier today I got to stand in Red Square. I won't lie... it was a little bit emotional.
It was the USSR... the "Soviets". My president referred to it as the "Evil Empire".
One day, when I was young, someone from the West flew their private plane into Soviet airspace undetected, and landed in Red Square. It was viewed as such a 'victory' in the West, that the game I used to play on my Commodore 64, "Flight Simulator 2", actually added the 8-bit graphics of Red Square as a hidden flight challenge.
So you can imagine how I felt when earlier today I got to stand in Red Square. I won't lie... it was a little bit emotional.
When I was younger, I never understood why we as a people didn't reach out more. My favorite singer, Billy Joel, did a few concerts here. I love the cassette recording of this concert. He closed his encores with Bob Dylan's "The Times They are a' Changing". And changes came quickly. When I got to college, I started seeing scientists between our two cultures working together... and very quickly, the politics, and our societies changed.
I have traveled here with 4 teenagers who never knew a USSR, and have a totally different perspective on what's happening during this experience... with different feelings about Red Square. (The best equivalent is telling them to imagine the odds they will travel to North Korea in 25 years.)
But journalism and storytelling is a powerful tool. The students chose to come here to build bridges. They came to be advocates for an important topic. They thought outside of themselves and came, in a small way, to change the world.
Today is a prelude to the Fall, when Hempfield will spearhead an important collaboration between these two cultures. Hopefully, other schools will join them. It's an honor that this group was selected, and I feel their 'win' is one for the entire Hempfield team. It's a win for all the former students that took the steps to think bigger as journalists. It's a win for the teachers and administrators in the district, who over the past 25 years have been giving of their time and patience to let these students test out good (and bad) program ideas, as well as reaching out to tell their news stories.
I realize how lucky I am to have found such a supportive team at Hempfield. It's why I go to bed each night excited for the challenges of the next day, and seeing what great ideas and creativity the next generation has... and it's why I'm doing that again tonight... I'm just doing it 4800 miles further away than usual.
From the teens:
Kayleigh- This opportunity that we have been given is one of the most exciting things that I have encountered in my life and I feel that we will be able to create a connection to our Russian partners that will outlast this trip and continue into the future. I am anticipating the start to our week in Russia and the chance to get to work with students in a different country that have the same interests as we do.
Jack-We are building a relationship that will carry on into not only our own future, but the future of the world, our nation, and our children. I cannot express how ready I am to delve into this project with friends I've had all my life and to create new friendships that will last a lifetime. We are prepared for this experience and I will never forget the knowledge gained on this adventure that we embark on today.
Joel-Just earlier this year, if you told me that I would soon be part of an immersive cultural experience in Russia I would respond with, "there is no way that would ever happen." That's just not a thing that an American teenager gets to do. So to be given such an opportunity is an honor for which I am so grateful. We aim to create and build American-Russian relationships throughout this entire process. I'm entering this week with wonder and awe at the experience, but I carry even more hope that this week will leave lasting impacts on both parties.
Bailey-I'm more than thankful for the opportunities I've received to be able to participate in this trip and to be one of the few able to bridge the gap between both groups. I went into this with my nerves slightly against me, but there is one thing I can say: They told me about the airline food and it exceeded my expectations.
To see the first day from the students' perspective, check out Joel's vlog!
I have traveled here with 4 teenagers who never knew a USSR, and have a totally different perspective on what's happening during this experience... with different feelings about Red Square. (The best equivalent is telling them to imagine the odds they will travel to North Korea in 25 years.)
But journalism and storytelling is a powerful tool. The students chose to come here to build bridges. They came to be advocates for an important topic. They thought outside of themselves and came, in a small way, to change the world.
Today is a prelude to the Fall, when Hempfield will spearhead an important collaboration between these two cultures. Hopefully, other schools will join them. It's an honor that this group was selected, and I feel their 'win' is one for the entire Hempfield team. It's a win for all the former students that took the steps to think bigger as journalists. It's a win for the teachers and administrators in the district, who over the past 25 years have been giving of their time and patience to let these students test out good (and bad) program ideas, as well as reaching out to tell their news stories.
I realize how lucky I am to have found such a supportive team at Hempfield. It's why I go to bed each night excited for the challenges of the next day, and seeing what great ideas and creativity the next generation has... and it's why I'm doing that again tonight... I'm just doing it 4800 miles further away than usual.
From the teens:
Kayleigh- This opportunity that we have been given is one of the most exciting things that I have encountered in my life and I feel that we will be able to create a connection to our Russian partners that will outlast this trip and continue into the future. I am anticipating the start to our week in Russia and the chance to get to work with students in a different country that have the same interests as we do.
Jack-We are building a relationship that will carry on into not only our own future, but the future of the world, our nation, and our children. I cannot express how ready I am to delve into this project with friends I've had all my life and to create new friendships that will last a lifetime. We are prepared for this experience and I will never forget the knowledge gained on this adventure that we embark on today.
Joel-Just earlier this year, if you told me that I would soon be part of an immersive cultural experience in Russia I would respond with, "there is no way that would ever happen." That's just not a thing that an American teenager gets to do. So to be given such an opportunity is an honor for which I am so grateful. We aim to create and build American-Russian relationships throughout this entire process. I'm entering this week with wonder and awe at the experience, but I carry even more hope that this week will leave lasting impacts on both parties.
Bailey-I'm more than thankful for the opportunities I've received to be able to participate in this trip and to be one of the few able to bridge the gap between both groups. I went into this with my nerves slightly against me, but there is one thing I can say: They told me about the airline food and it exceeded my expectations.
To see the first day from the students' perspective, check out Joel's vlog!
LINKS: