News and Guide Article

Written on July 1, 2009


The Wednesday before school let out for spring break was a long day. The lunch bell rang and I dragged myself back to class – just as an announcement erupted over the intercom: “Any girls who might be interested in The Traveling School, please come to the counseling office now.”
I did a U-turn in the hallway, thankful for an excuse to skip class. But what began as a way to get out of taking notes turned into a potentially life changing opportunity.
Before I explain the school, and the adventure I am about to embark on, let me back track. This will be my third summer writing for the paper, and I continue to feel that it is one of my greatest passions. As the pressure of college approaches, writing for the News&Guide has given me hope, while helping me to take a step toward a possible future in journalism.
It turns out that The Traveling School presented a way to get out of class for more than a few minutes -- in fact for an entire semester. The Traveling School, based in Bozeman, is an academically rigorous school for high school-aged girls who wish to enhance their traditional academic experience with overseas exploration. And more importantly for me personally, The Traveling School has a special focus on developing writing skills. I plan on taking a travel journalism class to further my knowledge, as well as an English class. The Traveling School is a non-profit organization with an innovative curriculum that takes full advantage of the environment and the culture overseas. The School works with students home high schools to ensure students receive full academic credit.
Our group will be traveling throughout Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. I plan to leave the US on September 1st and return December 15th. I am keenly interested in having more international exposure, and doing charitable volunteer work within the communities we visit. Over the past few years, I have worked with others in setting up a chain of libraries in Nepal, and it is my dream to continue this type of international service for the rest of my life. At JHHS, I am now working with Rotary Interact on designing a foreign service project in Nepal for the summer of 2010.
There is one catch in all of this: While turning around in the hall to respond to any opportunity AND get out of class is “priceless”, taking a semester abroad costs money, in this case a whopping $18,000. When my Dad was in college he decided instead of becoming a doctor or a lawyer or a businessman, he wanted to become the real Indiana Jones, not a highly paid actor, but the real “Indie”. He wanted to live in far off lands and explore new cultures. I admire my dad for his decision. In fact I am elated he chose the path he did. But later when I was born he found that being a professional Indiana Jones doesn’t exactly pay well. So, as of today I have raised all but $6000.00 of the $18,000.00 necessary and now I am seeking assistance for the final third. My parents have always taught me to be independent and responsible, and so instead of empting their piggy banks for me, this is something I am trying to do without the help of parents (and I’m emptying my own piggy bank). I am approaching various organizations for scholarships, but so far individuals have been a major source of donations. I am so close to having all the money together, and this is an incredible opportunity and I know that it will be a major influence on my life. If you or your organization would like to become a sponsor please contact me at phoebecoburn@gmail.com. Plus, you can expect post cards while I am abroad. For more information on the program itself you can visit www.thetravelingschool. com. I believe that educating people on problems that our world faces is one of the most important things we can do, and I believe I can do it. I intend to write about the fall semester in Africa, and bring the experience, and the issues, to others.