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People to People Student Ambassador Program

August 26, 2023

The People to People Student Ambassador Program was a travel service based in Spokane, Washington, offering domestic and international travel opportunities to middle and high school students. The group was founded in 1956, during the Eisenhower administration, and reincorporated in 1995. It converted in 2002 to a for-profit company, Ambassadors Group. It ceased student travel operations in 2015.

People to People Student Ambassador Program
FormationSeptember 11, 1956 (1956-09-11)
TypeYouth Peace Ambassador/Travel
HeadquartersSpokane, Washington
Parent organization
Ambassadors Group

Since its founding, nearly half a million students, adults and athletes participated in the ambassador programs.[1] From 2002 to 2015, the services offered were operated by Ambassadors Group, a for-profit company.[2] Though open to international primary and secondary school students, programs were primarily for American students aged 10 through 18. In the late 20th century, the typical length of a program was three weeks for a group of thirty to forty students.[3] Ambassadors Group ceased operations for student travel on July 13, 2015.[4]

History Edit

 
President Dwight D. Eisenhower with the People to People committee in 1960.

In 1956, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower sought diplomatic alternatives to the wars he witnessed as a soldier, general and Allied Commander. On September 11, 1956, he called a White House conference of 100 top American leaders, who joined him in creating the People to People initiative, focused on creating cultural exchange programs.[5] This conference followed a Geneva summit, at which Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev expressed enthusiasm for exchange programs as a means to ease Cold War tensions.[6] Participants in this conference included Joyce Hall, founder of Hallmark Cards; comedian Bob Hope; and creative entertainer Walt Disney. He became one of the founding directors of People to People and later drew inspiration from the initiative to create the "It's a Small World" attraction at Disneyland in 1964.[7]

The program was originally sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency, of the Federal government. In 1961, Eisenhower decided that it should be carried on by private citizens and asked Joyce Hall to facilitate the privatization. That same year, the nonprofit People to People International began a contractual relationship with Ambassador Programs, Inc. to administer People to People travel programs for adults and students.[8] In 1962, the first delegation of university students traveled overseas and stayed with families across Europe.[9]

Regular annual programs began in 1967. Until expansion in the 1980s, the organization sent only a few hundred students abroad each year.[3] In 2002, People to People International granted a license to operate student programs under the People to People Student Ambassador Program name to Ambassadors Group, which had been formed as a separate company from the Ambassadors Education Group. The Company closed in 2015.[1]

Programs Edit

People to People Ambassador Programs offered four types of ambassador travel, including international student ambassador travel, domestic leadership ambassador summits and forums, international collegiate ambassador travel, and international citizen ambassador travel for industry professionals.[10]

Countries visited included Germany, France, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malta, Italy, Greece, Fiji, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and Russia. Experienced students who were alumni of the program and wanted to travel again were given the chance to choose more exotic destinations for subsequent trips such as South Africa, or Antarctica.[1] Programs typically departed between June and August, rather than during the academic year, in groups of between thirty and forty students. The target student-teacher ratio was 10-to-1.[11]

Trips usually were composed of students from a given city or county, not from a specific school. Tuition – the fees charged for a trip – ranged from $4,500 for trips to Canada, to more than $7,999 for trips to Australia and South Pacific destinations. A trip to Antarctica was available for $12,500, however this fee was not listed on their website in 2014.[12]

During the trips, students attended various educational activities, and had the chance to meet local leaders and dignitaries. Trips also featured such outdoor activities as hiking, snorkeling, zip-lining or rappelling.[13] Longer itineraries included a 2- to 3-day home stay with a local family.[14]

Each student ambassador travel program included a service component in which ambassadors participated in hands-on community service projects.[15] Participants could earn high school or college credit for classes through the Washington School of World Studies (operated by People to People), and through Eastern Washington University.[16]

People to People Ambassador Programs also offered domestic student trips for grade school, middle school and high school students through Leadership Ambassador Programs.[17] These programs were focused on leadership development, community involvement, civics education and college preparation. Leadership Ambassador Programs included student trips to various U.S. destinations, including Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, to hear from speakers and industry experts, and exchange ideas with their peers from around the world. On these four- to ten-day programs, delegates engaged in leadership curriculum, team-building and personal development exercises.[18]

Applications Edit

Any student (5th grade or older) could apply to travel on a program.[19] All students must complete an application and an interview process before they can go on a trip to ensure that they possess the maturity and social skills needed for extended travel.[20]

The nomination process was open to any applicant. Some parents complained in 2006 that the program's marketing made it appear that their child was exclusively selected or nominated to participate.[21] The Iowa Attorney General investigated the program's operator in 2006 after an invitation was accidentally sent to the long-deceased child of a family. The operator modified the invitation and presentation process.[22] In another case, a family received a People to People solicitation claiming under the name of their late family pet, that it had been selected as an ambassador.[23]

Controversies Edit

In 2007, student ambassador Tyler Hill died of complications following his group's hike on Mount Fuji in Japan. The family sued the program and its parent company, reaching a settlement in 2009.[24][25][26][27][28]

In 2008, People to People invested more than $3 million to support health and safety initiatives for participants.[29] The company also hired a full-time Senior Director of Health and Safety and began a Safe Travel 24/7 blog.[30] In 2010, People to People Ambassador Programs launched the FindMe program with Cellhire that allowed a mobile phone to be tracked using GPS or cell tower triangulation.[29] Parents of students could also rent the FindMe phone and have text conversations with their children through the FindMe website.[31]

In July 2011, CBS News reported[32] that People to People had retained a for-profit marketing company, AmbassadorsGroup[33] to solicit participants. Among their reportedly questionable tactics: solicitations to long-deceased children citing their "exceptional academic performance" as the reason for the solicitation[32][citation needed], and the signed endorsement of a Virginia State Senator without her endorsement or knowledge.[32][34]

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c Ambassadors Group (December 31, 2010). "Form 10-K". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  2. ^ "Ambassadors Group Inc (EPAX.O)". Reuters. 2011. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Wade, Betsy (October 12, 1997). "Practical Traveler; Student Travel: The First Step". The New York Times. from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  4. ^ . October 8, 2015. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  5. ^ "People-to-People Program". Eisenhower Presidential Center. December 30, 2009. from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  6. ^ . People to People International. 2011. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  7. ^ . People to People International. 2011. Archived from the original on September 16, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  8. ^ "President Eisenhower | History of People to People International Travel Programs". from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  9. ^ Mand, Frank (January 14, 2011). "People to People". Halifax-Plympton Reporter. from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  10. ^ "About Us". from the original on 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
  11. ^ "Ambassador Programs, Inc. Review - Travel Escorts in Spokane, WA - BBB Business Review - BBB serving Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Montana". from the original on 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  12. ^ "People to People Program Cost". from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  13. ^ "Unique and Exclusive Study Abroad Programs". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  14. ^ "Cultural Immersion Through Study Abroad". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  15. ^ "Education Travel - People to People Ambassador Programs". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  16. ^ "Educational Tour - People to People Ambassador Programs". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  17. ^ "Leadership Programs". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  18. ^ "2014 Student Leadership Catalog - People to People Leadership Ambassadors – People to People Ambassador Programs". from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  19. ^ "Student Travel FAQ". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  20. ^ "Student Ambassador Programs - People to People". from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  21. ^ Cherry, Dave (September 21, 2006). "Parents complain People to People International is misleading". The Arizona Republic. from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  22. ^ "People to People Student Ambassador Program Agrees to Modify Representations About How Students are "Selected" for International Travel". Iowa Attorney General. June 8, 2006. from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2006.
  23. ^ "People to Dead Cat Invited to participate in abroad program". Consumer Affairs. September 8, 2007. from the original on January 3, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2006.
  24. ^ Croman, John (August 9, 2009). "Settlement reached in teen traveler wrongful death lawsuit". KARE. from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  25. ^ "People to People Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit". KARE. January 29, 2008. from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  26. ^ "Mound family sues over son's death in Japan". Star Tribune. from the original on 2015-04-03. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  27. ^ "Parents of dead student sue People to People | the Spokesman-Review". from the original on 2015-04-03. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  28. ^ . Archived from the original on 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  29. ^ a b "Ambassadors adds GPS phones to its summer travel groups". The Spokesman-Review. June 8, 2011. from the original on June 20, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  30. ^ Bowers, Michael J. (2011). "Safe Travel 24/7 blog". People to People Ambassadors Programs. from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  31. ^ "GPS Devices Track Student Travelers around the World". Land Air Sea. August 3, 2010. from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  32. ^ a b c "New backlash over "People to People" program - CBS News Video". CBS News. from the original on 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  33. ^ "Ambassadors Group, Inc". Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2006-08-12.
  34. ^ "Eisenhower student program invitations questioned - CBS News". CBS News. from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-09-27.

External links Edit

  • Top 28 Reviews about People to People
  • Official website
  • People to People International
  • Official website of the People to People Student Ambassador Alumni
  • Eisenhower Library archives on People to People program

August 26, 2023
people, people, student, ambassador, program, travel, service, based, spokane, washington, offering, domestic, international, travel, opportunities, middle, high, school, students, group, founded, 1956, during, eisenhower, administration, reincorporated, 1995,. The People to People Student Ambassador Program was a travel service based in Spokane Washington offering domestic and international travel opportunities to middle and high school students The group was founded in 1956 during the Eisenhower administration and reincorporated in 1995 It converted in 2002 to a for profit company Ambassadors Group It ceased student travel operations in 2015 People to People Student Ambassador ProgramFormationSeptember 11 1956 1956 09 11 TypeYouth Peace Ambassador TravelHeadquartersSpokane WashingtonParent organizationAmbassadors GroupSince its founding nearly half a million students adults and athletes participated in the ambassador programs 1 From 2002 to 2015 the services offered were operated by Ambassadors Group a for profit company 2 Though open to international primary and secondary school students programs were primarily for American students aged 10 through 18 In the late 20th century the typical length of a program was three weeks for a group of thirty to forty students 3 Ambassadors Group ceased operations for student travel on July 13 2015 4 Contents 1 History 2 Programs 3 Applications 4 Controversies 5 References 6 External linksHistory Edit President Dwight D Eisenhower with the People to People committee in 1960 In 1956 U S President Dwight D Eisenhower sought diplomatic alternatives to the wars he witnessed as a soldier general and Allied Commander On September 11 1956 he called a White House conference of 100 top American leaders who joined him in creating the People to People initiative focused on creating cultural exchange programs 5 This conference followed a Geneva summit at which Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev expressed enthusiasm for exchange programs as a means to ease Cold War tensions 6 Participants in this conference included Joyce Hall founder of Hallmark Cards comedian Bob Hope and creative entertainer Walt Disney He became one of the founding directors of People to People and later drew inspiration from the initiative to create the It s a Small World attraction at Disneyland in 1964 7 The program was originally sponsored by the U S Information Agency of the Federal government In 1961 Eisenhower decided that it should be carried on by private citizens and asked Joyce Hall to facilitate the privatization That same year the nonprofit People to People International began a contractual relationship with Ambassador Programs Inc to administer People to People travel programs for adults and students 8 In 1962 the first delegation of university students traveled overseas and stayed with families across Europe 9 Regular annual programs began in 1967 Until expansion in the 1980s the organization sent only a few hundred students abroad each year 3 In 2002 People to People International granted a license to operate student programs under the People to People Student Ambassador Program name to Ambassadors Group which had been formed as a separate company from the Ambassadors Education Group The Company closed in 2015 1 Programs EditPeople to People Ambassador Programs offered four types of ambassador travel including international student ambassador travel domestic leadership ambassador summits and forums international collegiate ambassador travel and international citizen ambassador travel for industry professionals 10 Countries visited included Germany France Canada Czechoslovakia Austria Denmark the Netherlands Australia New Zealand China Japan Korea Taiwan Hong Kong Malta Italy Greece Fiji the Republic of Ireland the United Kingdom and Russia Experienced students who were alumni of the program and wanted to travel again were given the chance to choose more exotic destinations for subsequent trips such as South Africa or Antarctica 1 Programs typically departed between June and August rather than during the academic year in groups of between thirty and forty students The target student teacher ratio was 10 to 1 11 Trips usually were composed of students from a given city or county not from a specific school Tuition the fees charged for a trip ranged from 4 500 for trips to Canada to more than 7 999 for trips to Australia and South Pacific destinations A trip to Antarctica was available for 12 500 however this fee was not listed on their website in 2014 12 During the trips students attended various educational activities and had the chance to meet local leaders and dignitaries Trips also featured such outdoor activities as hiking snorkeling zip lining or rappelling 13 Longer itineraries included a 2 to 3 day home stay with a local family 14 Each student ambassador travel program included a service component in which ambassadors participated in hands on community service projects 15 Participants could earn high school or college credit for classes through the Washington School of World Studies operated by People to People and through Eastern Washington University 16 People to People Ambassador Programs also offered domestic student trips for grade school middle school and high school students through Leadership Ambassador Programs 17 These programs were focused on leadership development community involvement civics education and college preparation Leadership Ambassador Programs included student trips to various U S destinations including Washington D C New York City Chicago and Los Angeles to hear from speakers and industry experts and exchange ideas with their peers from around the world On these four to ten day programs delegates engaged in leadership curriculum team building and personal development exercises 18 Applications EditAny student 5th grade or older could apply to travel on a program 19 All students must complete an application and an interview process before they can go on a trip to ensure that they possess the maturity and social skills needed for extended travel 20 The nomination process was open to any applicant Some parents complained in 2006 that the program s marketing made it appear that their child was exclusively selected or nominated to participate 21 The Iowa Attorney General investigated the program s operator in 2006 after an invitation was accidentally sent to the long deceased child of a family The operator modified the invitation and presentation process 22 In another case a family received a People to People solicitation claiming under the name of their late family pet that it had been selected as an ambassador 23 Controversies EditIn 2007 student ambassador Tyler Hill died of complications following his group s hike on Mount Fuji in Japan The family sued the program and its parent company reaching a settlement in 2009 24 25 26 27 28 In 2008 People to People invested more than 3 million to support health and safety initiatives for participants 29 The company also hired a full time Senior Director of Health and Safety and began a Safe Travel 24 7 blog 30 In 2010 People to People Ambassador Programs launched the FindMe program with Cellhire that allowed a mobile phone to be tracked using GPS or cell tower triangulation 29 Parents of students could also rent the FindMe phone and have text conversations with their children through the FindMe website 31 In July 2011 CBS News reported 32 that People to People had retained a for profit marketing company AmbassadorsGroup 33 to solicit participants Among their reportedly questionable tactics solicitations to long deceased children citing their exceptional academic performance as the reason for the solicitation 32 citation needed and the signed endorsement of a Virginia State Senator without her endorsement or knowledge 32 34 References Edit a b c Ambassadors Group December 31 2010 Form 10 K U S Securities and Exchange Commission Archived from the original on October 15 2012 Retrieved June 16 2011 Ambassadors Group Inc EPAX O Reuters 2011 Archived from the original on January 4 2013 Retrieved June 16 2011 a b Wade Betsy October 12 1997 Practical Traveler Student Travel The First Step The New York Times Archived from the original on August 31 2010 Retrieved May 22 2010 PTPI Immersive Travel amp Events October 8 2015 Archived from the original on October 11 2015 Retrieved 2015 10 19 People to People Program Eisenhower Presidential Center December 30 2009 Archived from the original on July 16 2011 Retrieved June 16 2011 People to People International History People to People International 2011 Archived from the original on August 11 2011 Retrieved June 16 2011 Global Youth Forum People to People International 2011 Archived from the original on September 16 2013 Retrieved June 16 2011 President Eisenhower History of People to People International Travel Programs Archived from the original on 2018 09 24 Retrieved 2018 09 24 Mand Frank January 14 2011 People to People Halifax Plympton Reporter Archived from the original on November 11 2012 Retrieved June 16 2011 About Us Archived from the original on 2021 04 19 Retrieved 2022 01 21 Ambassador Programs Inc Review Travel Escorts in Spokane WA BBB Business Review BBB serving Eastern Washington North Idaho and Montana Archived from the original on 2014 12 02 Retrieved 2014 12 01 People to People Program Cost Archived from the original on 2014 07 02 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Unique and Exclusive Study Abroad Programs Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Cultural Immersion Through Study Abroad Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Education Travel People to People Ambassador Programs Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Educational Tour People to People Ambassador Programs Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Leadership Programs Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 2014 Student Leadership Catalog People to People Leadership Ambassadors People to People Ambassador Programs Archived from the original on 2013 05 01 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Student Travel FAQ Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Student Ambassador Programs People to People Archived from the original on 2014 12 05 Retrieved 2014 12 01 Cherry Dave September 21 2006 Parents complain People to People International is misleading The Arizona Republic Archived from the original on January 21 2022 Retrieved June 16 2010 People to People Student Ambassador Program Agrees to Modify Representations About How Students are Selected for International Travel Iowa Attorney General June 8 2006 Archived from the original on September 23 2006 Retrieved October 5 2006 People to Dead Cat Invited to participate in abroad program Consumer Affairs September 8 2007 Archived from the original on January 3 2007 Retrieved October 5 2006 Croman John August 9 2009 Settlement reached in teen traveler wrongful death lawsuit KARE Archived from the original on January 21 2022 Retrieved June 16 2011 People to People Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit KARE January 29 2008 Archived from the original on October 17 2014 Retrieved September 19 2014 Mound family sues over son s death in Japan Star Tribune Archived from the original on 2015 04 03 Retrieved 2014 09 19 Parents of dead student sue People to People the Spokesman Review Archived from the original on 2015 04 03 Retrieved 2014 09 19 National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers Settlement Reached in Case of Minn Teen s Death in Japan Archived from the original on 2011 10 12 Retrieved 2014 09 19 a b Ambassadors adds GPS phones to its summer travel groups The Spokesman Review June 8 2011 Archived from the original on June 20 2011 Retrieved June 16 2011 Bowers Michael J 2011 Safe Travel 24 7 blog People to People Ambassadors Programs Archived from the original on July 8 2011 Retrieved June 16 2011 GPS Devices Track Student Travelers around the World Land Air Sea August 3 2010 Archived from the original on December 5 2010 Retrieved September 29 2010 a b c New backlash over People to People program CBS News Video CBS News Archived from the original on 2012 12 14 Retrieved 2013 01 12 Ambassadors Group Inc Archived from the original on 2013 01 16 Retrieved 2006 08 12 Eisenhower student program invitations questioned CBS News CBS News Archived from the original on 2013 09 21 Retrieved 2013 09 27 External links EditTop 28 Reviews about People to People Official website People to People International Official website of the People to People Student Ambassador Alumni Eisenhower Library archives on People to People program Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title People to People Student Ambassador Program amp oldid 1152564920, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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