It's Fall in Spokane

Our summer hot spell here at our Spokane headquarters seems to have come to an abrupt end, and now fall is in the air. As a volleyball enthusiast and coach, fall is my favorite time of year. All of us - parents, teachers and students are getting back into the swing with the back-to-school ritual. No matter where you grew up, there is a familiar cadence and energy around the start of another school year. For me, back-to-school brings back memories of learning new subjects, discovering different ideas, meeting new teachers and embracing old and new friendships.

The Global Text Generation

Experts predict that this generation of young people is positioned to be the most literate, informed and technologically sophisticated, ever. From text messaging to Facebook, their world is smaller and more interconnected than ever before. This interconnectivity adds to the everyday frantic pace of life as it picks up speed like a race to be at the front of the lunch line. Imagine what the world will be like when today's students enter the workforce in the next 10 years!

Gaining knowledge, compassion and a keen understanding of the international landscape is the critical foundation students must have in order to advance in today's globalized world. But this just won't happen in everyday educational settings. Traveling outside the classroom to be immersed in other cultures is the very best way for young people to gain a global perspective, and become prepared to contribute and succeed in a global society.

The need to travel is timeless, and the investment made to travel is priceless. In a recent national survey, parents said they saw improvements in their child's grades when they traveled. Teachers feel international travel opportunities also help inspire students to apply themselves in the classroom. The hands-on learning that takes place through travel helps students fully understand, grasp and remember concepts. Our own research has also found that a higher percentage of high school students who travel internationally are accepted into their college of choice.

Big Ideas = Big Results

Our Leadership Programs attract some of the top students from around the globe to help them prepare for the future. One of the significant changes we've recently made to our Leadership Programs is giving our students access to more prominent speakers, leaders and dreamers of dreams. Why? We want expose today's young people to the paths of leaders and for those same prominent individuals to share their experiences with the leaders of tomorrow. It's one thing to be more connected with technology, but an important piece of the puzzle falls into place when we then show our students how to apply their knowledge, strengths, passions and dreams on a global perspective. Then, we quickly realize that nothing is impossible.

That's why I had the honor of introducing General Colin Powell to our Washington DC World Leadership Forum the other week, and NBC correspondent Luke Russert to speak with students in Chicago over the summer, sharing ideas, and talking about seizing life's opportunities. We talk a lot about empowerment in our programs, being the best you can be, and realizing that we can all make a difference in our own way; accomplishing dreams by working hard and never losing site of the target. Watch for more announcements about other high-powered speakers and exciting new programs for 2010!

Wishing you success in fulfilling your own dreams,

Peg Thomas

President, People to People Ambassador Programs