People to People Student Ambassador Program

[BeachGirlFLA]

As part of the settlement of my family's lawsuit against Ambassadors Group, docleaf, Sue Stahr, Pat Veum-Smith, Angela Hanson, Josh Aberle, et al., I have been asked to request that your company remove statements from your website that may characterize, impugn, threaten, defame or disparage the defendants. The following correctly states the current state of the matter between the parties and may be used in place of any removed comments:

Wrongful Death Lawsuit for Tyler R. Hill Against Ambassadors Group, docleaf, et al., Officially Settled

MOUND, Minn., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Allen and Sheryl Hill of Mound, Minn., today announced the official settlement of their civil action for wrongful death of their 16-year-old son, Tyler Hill; invasion of privacy; and fraud against Ambassadors Group Inc., People to People International, docleaf Ltd. and other individuals. The Hills signed the release on July 30. The terms of the settlement are confidential. Tyler died on a People to People Student Ambassador Trip to Japan on June 29, 2007. Since Tyler's death, the Hill's have been on a passionate mission to protect other traveling youth and have sought accountability, justice, restitution and reform.

REFORM: Traveling Youth's Standards of Safety Legislation

The Hill's mission for the safety of kids participating in travel programs is far from over. They seek reform through a bi-partisan federal law and the Traveling Youth's Standards of Safety (TY's SOS legislation), and have engaged Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN). The pursued legislation is to ensure safety measures, sanctions and penalties are in place to protect traveling youth. No safety standards, sanctions or penalties exist to protect children's health and safety rights while entrusted to third parties, especially during travel programs. Children have been denied health care, died, hurt, abandoned, raped and suffered severe illnesses, while traveling with some student travel programs. There is currently no oversight committee watch dogging the student travel industry.

Danielle Grijalva, director for the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students, applauds the Hill's advocacy for safety and sanctions during travel abroad programs. She said, "I receive numerous complaints about other travel agencies from children and their parents about supervisors being intoxicated, molestations, children being denied health care when they are sick, unsanitary living quarters and 'unaccounted for' children. Parents need to inform themselves of the safety record of agencies and supervisors they are entrusting their kids to." Grijalva recommends parents contact foreign police authorities to report abuse and then contact local, state and federal agencies to report child endangerment. Until laws are passed to impose sanctions and potential imprisonment, Grijalva believes that egregious stories like Tyler's will remain all too common.
About Tyler Hill

Tyler Hill was born on June 6, 1991, on the anniversary of D-Day, in Edina, Minn. A natural athlete and honor roll student, Tyler was a first year MVP for rugby, a tight end in football, a winger in hockey and an advanced scuba diver. He was a junior officer of the Mound Westonka High School DECA club, and he discovered and reported a bomb threat to school authorities and was recognized for his actions. Ty will be remembered for his big smile and tender heart. He passed away on June 29, 2007, while on a People to People Student Ambassadors trip to Tokyo, Japan, apparently from severe dehydration. For more of Tyler's story, visit Details About Tyler Hill’s Death During a People to People Student Ambassador Trip and the T Hill Bill for Safety Standards.

I am so sorry to hear your story. After reading this, I would NEVER send a child on a PTP trip and if I got one of those letters soliciting donations, I would send the information on this back instead.

 

[Julia M]

My 12 and 14 year old both received "nominations" for this program. I would absolutely send my child on an international trip (oldest ds went to Italy through his high school at 16) but not with an agency that solicits students through the mail. I just don't trust that.

Julia

 

[Disney Ella]

Yeah, you can say they've improved their nomination process all you want to. All I know is that my cousin just got an invitation to go to Australia. He's 38 (yup, THIRTY EIGHT) years old. I don't think they've improved anything. It's an overpriced travel agency. Your child will probably enjoy the trip, what child wouldn't, but you can do better for less in my opinion.

I just got my invitation in the mail today. And I am even older than 38.

 

[mum4jenn]

My 11 year old just got this today. I have read all the ifo on this last time someone posted about it. NO WAY will she go.

 

[KSchwagg86]

One of my best friends in high school went and it was probably one of the best experiences of her life!

 

[RabbitFood]

I went on a PTP trip to Europe for a month wayyyy back in 1981. I agree that it was an incredible opportunity for me--one of my top 5 life experiences.
At that time, we started the trip in Washington DC for some "briefing" on how to be a good US ambassador.
Homestays were also a very important part of the trip--we stayed at least 4 nights each in three different homes in Europe. For that experience alone, I'd say PTP is very much UNLIKE a typical travel agency. Homestays allowed us to really connect with people of different countries/cultures. I forged lifetime relationships with families in Austria, Holland and (then) West Germany.
In 1981, we weren't encouraged to do any fundraising. The cost was still crazy expensive compared to any other trip to Europe, but again, the homestays made it worth it (IMO).
When I did PTP, our chaperones were very trustworthy, responsible and capable teachers from our high school. They dealt with medical emergencies swiftly and successfully.

My niece did a PTP trip two years ago to England, France and Holland. While she also enjoyed the trip and treasured her experience, she said the supervision was sorely lacking and wouldn't recommend that particular trip to anyone. Based on her remarks, I would question how PTP chooses their chaperones. And how well they screen the people we'd trust our children to.

I do think the mother's tragedy mentioned above is horrid--my heart goes out to her and her family. Accidents happen everywhere. A child with a serious illness takes risks traveling anywhere. However, I can see where she thought her child was in competent hands with PTP.

Would I send my child on a PTP trip? Probably not, mainly due to the cost and the concerns about supervision. As a family, we have been fortunate to travel around the world and have stayed with other families, so the homestay program, while worthwhile, isn't important to us anymore.

However, if PTP were the only way my child could ever experience other cultures/countries, I might reconsider.

I agree with others that an exchange program while the student is in college is probably a better way to go.

 

[BuffettFan]

Both of my children have travelled with Student Ambassadors.
My daughter several years ago, did the New Zealand/Australia trip. She had an unbelievable time !! I still cant believe I let her go! It was the trip of a lifetime, filled with experiences I could have never given her if we were there as a family.
My son went the following year. He did the Tale of Two Cities trip...which was to London and Paris. Very rich in history, and he had a great time.
They are planning to travel together with Student Ambassadors, hopefully next summer, if our finances can handle it (haha!) They want to do the Antarctic Expedition. It sounds like fun, but is even pricier than the trips they've already taken.
Not only were the trips academically educational, but with them being out "on their own" for a couple of weeks, we definately saw a change in their maturity when they returned!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

My son was just nominated. We have our initial meeting later in the week. Those that go seem to love the experience. We are leaning towards sending him. My son doesn't get excited about very much but football and he was bouncing out of his chair at the idea. This is the kid I couldn't pay to go to Turks and Caicos with me last summer and I had to hogtie to get him on the plane to Hawaii. So we know it is expensive but being with peers in a foreign county at 16 sounds like a once in a lifetime thing to me.

Congrats!

Here is my take on it... If you can afford the trip, and take the 'nomination' with a grain of salt, send them if they want to go and you are comfortable with them going. Sure, some of the students DESERVE that nomination, and some fall into the wrong hands, but regardless of the premise of the trip, I believe it'd be a great learning experience for anyone who attends.

And to the PP who lost her son, I am so very sorry...

 

[Nancyg56]

We didn't do any fundraisers/begging for dgd trip. I realize that it could be done cheaper. She had months of pre-planning with classes, book reports, taste testing, interviews, trouble-shooting etc. Kyleigh went to Europe for about 3 weeks without family and forged new friendships, heard other opinions and ideas, met people outside of our religion, culture, and gained tremendous confidence knowing that she could do this without me hovering over her.

When my DD took her trip we did the same thing that you did. She gathered letters from her teachers as well as the Dean of Students at her school and I attended the initial meeting as well as several of the others. We were not going to send her, I had just married and we had a lot of expenses renovating the house. I have to admit that once we attended the meeting and then read the letters from teachers that articulated my DD's accomplishments in school, the least of which were her academics, we decided to let her go and paid for the trip ourselves. It was expensive but for our family it was worth it. Marisa was a very good student but we expected that from her. Her teachers and the Dean included all of the extra curricular activities and volunteer work that she did and how it impacted the people around her. We knew that she kept busy in school and enjoyed volunteering in and out of school but they put those activities in perspective for us.

My nephew did a PTP trip 3 years ago to Austrailia. He had a great time and made a lot of lasting friendships. He keeps in contact with several other students from our area who were on the trip with him. It was expensive but fortunately Grandma paid for most of it.

My cousin went to Australia as well. While the trip did not grant him entrance into a good University he was able to demonstrate qualities that set him apart from his peers. The trip did not do this, it just helped him to gain life experiences and make connections that he would not have had prior to taking it.

Now, listen. This makes me angry. There's no need to be a jerk about this. Many people have had a fantastic experience with this organization, and I happen to be one of them.

I went to the USSR in 1991 on what was an amazing and extremely educational trip. It opened my teenaged eyes to a world I read about but didn't really grasp, a world that didn't revolve around me and my school or even the American culture I knew. That's a pretty darn valuable lesson to learn at 15.

I agree. My DD came home with a different perspective of the world and the people who inhabit it. While I respect that some folks think this is an overpriced travel agency I am offended that there is ridicule for those who determined that it is also an opportunity for their children. Perhaps the nomination process is not perfect, for my family it gave us the opportunity to "hear" more about our daughter's activities that we took for granted. Her academics were very good but it was an eyeopener to know that most of the administration at her school knew her personally and in a positive way.

This trip was expensive and perhaps not the best bargain but for her, like you, the life lesson is one that she still talks about 18 years later. Her cousin, a Harvard grad also credits the program as a positive influence in his success.