Global Student Embassy

Building leaders by connecting the world’s youth to practice

social responsibility and community service

The Students of the 2008-2009 Global Student Embassy represent communities
in Argentina, Peru, and Sebastopol. In preparation for the time they will spend

together, the Argentina and the Sebastopol groups are undergoing a series of
workshops and assignments. These experiences in the classroom will help
prepare students to understand the communities which they will visit. Youth
from Santa Fe, Argentina will be in Sebastopol in January working with
Sebastopol students to run cultural workshops, volunteer with kids and seniors,
and to beautify our city with new landscaping and the painting of a mural. In the
summer of 2009, Sebastopol Students will travel to Peru and Argentina and
implement their planned community development projects (i.e. aqueduct
construction, painting a school, building structures to house animals etc.). The
more funds we raise, the more capability we will have to build and improve the
communities we will visit. Reaching our fund raising goal will also allow more
local students to receive scholarships to participate in the project.

See our Brochure Page 1

See our Brochure Page 2

Thanks to community involvement and generous support the Global Student Embassy (GSE) is making headway towards achieving its fundraising goal of $60,000.

Fundraising Thanks

On November 14th, students, friends and family helped to put on a tremendously successful first fundraiser at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center. The night included a dinner (prepared by the Analy Foods class, Cole Bendenelli, friends, and student volunteers) of lasagna, garlic bread, salad, green beans, and a desert of brownies and ice cream. Mad Decent, a band from Analy grooved the audience to classic jazz and soulful reggae. The night also included a silent auction consisting of items donated by local businesses and individuals. We are proud to say that nearly all silent auction items were sold. Lucas and I gave a presentation detailing our vision of GSE as an agent of change between our community and our South American counterparts. A panel of speakers endorsed the necessity of traveling to broaden one’s horizons before we introduced the audience to the South American students via a prerecorded video. We send thanks to those who helped set up and take down the event, to our generous donors, and to all who attended the event, making it a success. Thanks to our non-attending donors as well. Special recognition should be given to the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center for being our fiscal sponsor, and to Susan Swanson for helping to generate and facilitate ideas inside and outside the classroom. Because of tremendous community support we raised $9,000 through the November 14th event.

Summary of Fall Activities

 This fall, Lucas and I have been teaching a comparative cultural class in Susan Swanson’s junior honors English class. Through open discussion we focus on topics that explore our community’s culture. We explore the socioeconomic status and social location of Sebastopol. What different groups are represented in our community? How does our reality compare to that of our sister communities in Zurite, Perú, and Santa Fe, Argentina? Do our students, because of their elevated position of socioeconomic status relative to their South American counterparts, have a responsibility to make change? Our students have engaged the Sebastopol community through surveys exploring the culture of Sebastopol. We have brainstormed possible community service projects that could be completed with a limited budget. Once a week, our students chat via Skype video with the students in Santa Fe to explore cultural differences and to develop and plan projects they will complete during their ambassadorial homestays. All of our fantastic project ideas have been developed by Sebastopol, Santa Fe or Zurite students.

The goal of GSE is to empower young people with the ability to make change in their respective communities. We believe strongly in developing a cross-cultural dialogue that explores differences in culture, identifies respective needs, and accomplishes beneficial projects that stimulate learning and promote peace. Students at other high schools are encouraged to use our success as a template for launching similar projects in their communities. Through local support and hard work you can bring GSE to your community.

Upcoming Events

 GSE now turns its attention towards securing visas, airline tickets, host family placements, and an itinerary of events for the January 12th to February 12th visit of our South American students. Four students and one teacher will represent Santa Fe, Argentina. Students: Sebastian Guana, Matias Perandelli, Fiama Pena, and Natalia Marin. Teacher: Edit Chalita. Three students and one teacher will represent Zurite, Perú. Students: Joel Ruiz Quispe, Yeni, Sihua Quispe, and John Joseph Hilberto Calanchi. Teacher Tomás Ruiz López. Students will shadow Analy and Nonesuch students for a few days. Service projects include cultural presentations at Park Side Elementary, cultural presentations and cooking at the Sebastopol Senior Center, a barbeque prepared by expert Argentines at the Graton Day Labor Center along with cultural discussion and promotional activities, a bilingual soccer clinic for children, a mural at Analy High School, and a beach clean-up day. Tourist activities will include field trips to local beaches, Armstrong Redwoods, Mt St Helena, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, the Russian River, San Francisco’s Mission District and Golden Gate Bridge, and a youth dance open to all high schools.

Once finalized, a calendar of upcoming events will be posted on our webpage.

You can email questions to globalstudentembassy@gmail.com

Chao,

Jasper