Helping others motivates family travelers and earns scholarships for writers ages 13-18 in Family Travel Forum’s 2008 Teen Travel Writing contest.
(New York, November 11, 2008) – Family Travel Forum (FTF), the award-winning publisher of family vacation information on the web, is proud to announce the winners of its second annual Teen Travel Essay Scholarship competition. More than 6,000 students ages 13 to 18 applied for this merit scholarship.
A common theme in many of this year’s diverse adventures was a passion for making positive change in places visited and — fortunately for parents footing the bill — a renewed appreciation for those who supported teens’ global travels. “Topics ranged from visiting grandparents in Poland and Puerto Rico and touring the art treasures of Europe to working in the slums of Tijuana, Nairobi and San Francisco,” notes judge Laura Sutherland. “Stories were remarkably well crafted, vivid, insightful, funny and probably worthy of admission to Harvard. I expect we’ll be reading more from many of the winning writers over the years to come, as they have distinct voices and the ability to bring travel destinations and experiences to life in refreshing new ways.”
Congratulations to the recipients of Family Travel Forum’s 2008 Teen Travel Writing Scholarships.
2008 Scholarship Winners:
1st Place ($1,000):
“Blue Knob, Clay County, West Virginia” by Chelsea Knights; Long Beach, California
2nd Place ($500):
“1884 Miles on a Smokin’ Rock” by Isaiah Cornelius; Arvada, Colorado
3rd Place ($200):
“Most Cars Don’t Come Back: A Final Trip to Croatia” by Connor de Bruler; Greenville, South Carolina
2008 Scholarship Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mention authors will receive a Certificate of Commendation and a copy of the “Rand McNally 2009 Road Atlas”:
– “A Canadian Adventure” by Madeline Kuttner; Alameda, California
– “A Clumsy Sort of Paradise” by Emily Lydic; Raymond, Ohio
– “An Unexpected Beauty” by Caitlin Newell; Delaware, Ohio
– “A World Away from Home” by Abigail McAlister; Winston-Salem, North Carolina
– “Children of Fiji” by Rachel Taube; Short Hills, New Jersey
– “China, A Second Home” by Anne Marie Ou; Lewisville, Texas
– “Costa Rica” by Joyce Chung; Great Neck, New York
– “Emerald Water Memories” by Caitlin Needham; Shawnee, Oklahoma
– “French Fever” by Natilee Festa; Orlando, Florida
– “Going Home” by Julia Nejedlo; Hortonville, Wisconsin
– “Honduras, Beautiful Lessons” by Sarah Curley; Pueblo, Colorado
– “If Thoreau Went Backpacking” by Nathan McKinley; Mason, Ohio
– “I Left My Tongue in Branson” by Nolan Jones; Chesapeake, Virginia
– “Learning Through a Bowl” by B.O.; Ashland, Kentucky
– “My India” by Poonam Shah; Corona, California
– “My Jamaican Heart” by Brittany Castle; Macungie, Pennsylvania
– “My Trip to Philadelphia” by Laura Hastings; Wildwood, Missouri
– “My Trip to the Moon” by Samantha Dupler; Rockville Centre, New York
– “Taiwan: The Same Sky” by Shirley Chen; San Jose, California
– “The Becoming of Appreciation” by Sara Hamza; Nashville, Tennessee
– “The Other Side of Jamaica” by Kaylie Church; Wheaton, Illinois
– “Tijuana, Mexico: An Eye-Opening Trip” by Mariko Newton; Beaverton, Oregon
– “Travels in Paris” by Amanda Sweeny; Luray, Virginia
– “With Clouds Beneath My Feet” by Lauren Zumbach; Hinsdale, Illinois
– “Worlds Apart, Closer than Ever” by Jessica Cooke; California, Maryland
Judging the sheer volume of eloquent travel tales, photographs and videos required a team of college and graduate level journalism majors to assist FTF editors in selecting all finalists, whose compelling work can be seen on myfamilytravels.com. The top finalist essays, less than 3% of those submitted, were passed up to a panel of five travel journalists from the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), who judged them on originality, eloquence and a sense of place. FTF was honored by the support and participation of SATW, a professional organization known as “Travel’s Most Trusted Voices,” because of their commitment to responsible journalism, conservation and the preservation of travel resources worldwide. To learn more about all of the judges involved, check out their bio.
The 2009 FTF Teen Travel Scholarship will begin accepting applications on June 15, 2009 at http://scholarship.familytravelforum.com.
About FTF
Family Travel Forum (FTF) has served all who “Have Kids, Still Travel” with print and online guides since 1996. FamilyTravelForum.com has won many awards for its expert global coverage of family vacations ranging from multi-generational cruises to eco-adventures, travel gear reviews and pediatric travel health. FTF’s Trip Planning service boasts a Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center for its comprehensive personalized itineraries and travel resources. Other FTF publications include travelBIGO.com for the Before I Get Old crowd; adventures with babysitting for parents of under-5s at TinyTravelers.net; blogs for those who’ve been there, done that and tell all at FamilyTravelBoards.com; and e-newsletters packed with vacation deals, breaking news and trends. FTF partnerships range from the guidebook, “Amazing Places to Take Your Kids in North America” to students licensing for Disney’s Family.com and the Discovery Channel, and strategic consulting to Fairmont Hotels, Chrysler and Forbes among others.
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This is such a true indicator of Barcelona and Spain in general. For the family vacation or longer term family travels Barcelona is just brilliant. The Spanish adore their children and have such a fabulous fun filled approach to sharing their enthusiasm that young visitors are thrilled and enchanted by the City and the country in general.
I would also go a place like this..so beautiful and refreshing..
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I have heard a lot about Sally. Would definitely love to meet her on our visit to <a href="http://www.travelnut.me/phuket-island">Phuket Island</a>
Great piece, keep up the terrific work.
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thanks
I was wondering if we can be added to your recommended rental agents? We have over 50 beachfront properties, ranging form 1-10 bedrooms, specializing in homes for large groups and family reunions!
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Tips about Required Documents For Travel With Minors are great!
maurice doyle: You should certainly be in touch with the airline's Customer Support staff to get a refund for any fees you paid to have an escort, if no one was provided. However, most of the airlines don't require an escort for a child that is 14 years old, even when changing planes, therefore they may not have broken any laws by not having one available.
What a fantastic article and most importantly website. This site is a fantastic tool for families who are beginning their vacations and who may require some support in their planning to cover specific needs.
Thank you. The information is very helpful and before receiving your email, I came to the same conclusion about limiting the trip to Rome and Sicily. You just gave me affirmation. I would love to go to Venice, but that'll will need to wait for another trip.
Thanks again,
Mindy
my grandson flew from sacramento ca. to nixa mo he is 14 yrs of age.We paid for an escort to get him to the next flight out of denver co.at sacramento they told my daughter that it was the last flight out and there is nobody to escort him.can you plese help me with this i want to claim my refund.thany you
Maurice Doyle
417 724 9931
Nice Post. Looking for your next Post. Thanks
This is a normal requirement with any business who are in the care of under aged young people. I believe there is a medical consent that is required at the time of any travel plans.
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this sounds like what we're looking for, too. what area did you look at, and what is the name of the place or rental agent that you used? thanks!
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What fortunate chidlren. Not only to have a great vacation with both parents, but to experience South AMerica at such a young age. Congratulations to such thoughtful parents.
The concept of house swapping is just mind boggling. I really cannot understand why this has not become a world focus for obtaining great vacations at a very cheap cost for accommodation.
Costa Rica conjures images that I can relate to! The similarities to the beautiful island of Phuket are a reminder that we still have many Islands and locations that are thought to be paradise. The key is to care for the land and sea in order for all the benefit for ours and our childrens lifestyle.
Cebu is great
thanks to Cebu Trips Tour..i enjoy my vacation and adventure in Cebu. Visit their website at http://cebutriptours.com/
Hey, Cebu is the Queen City of The South All over the country. It is a place where you can enjoy perfectly. There are so many HOTELS for accommodations,Bars,Cafe's, Disco bar, lot of beach resorts, a lot of adventures, so many malls for shopping, a great place for everyone.
And for me, Cebu is the finest place for me all over the Country, and I have a great life here. This place is somewhat like a paradise. Cebu is the place where I experience a paradise life. So, I want you to visit and stay here in Cebu. And I assure you, you will never regret when you go here.
Thanks for a great article. The only thing I would add is that some new websites are starting to focus on relying on personalised vacation rental referrals from their own social media friends network.
This is a great step forward to avoid potential fraud attempts etc, and ensure your family vacation goes as it should!
Have a look at HolidayRentalsForMe.com – its a great new way of finding a great holiday home for your next family vacation.
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Sure Croatia's beautiful and I can offer you low cost walking tours in Dubrovnik city.
sometimes is to much and you will leave the children at home. I dont know why they want that many documents
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Ooo…Nepal…
Still i remember my first and last visit to Nepal.. that was awesome.. I love there traditional costumes and all.
every one should go there.
in my opinion is to much. Sometimes is better to stay at home.
There are so many other things to do in the Wisconsin Dells as well! You can have a visit with nature and I strongly suggest checking out Devil's Lake and Mirror Lake, the local state parks. Going for a tour on the Wisconsin Ducks is an memorable experience too!
Thanks for sharing..
Regardless of gender, good parenting is not unique to heterosexual couples. I think this is a fantastic breakthrough as committed couple or singles do make good parents.
I also recommend talking to others that have been to the place that you are going. They will have great ideas on what to see and what to avoid if you have children.
Regardless of gender, good parenting is not unique to heterosexual couples. I think this is a fantastic breakthrough as committed couple or singles do make good parents.
sometimes I prefer to stay at home my my children… there are to many documents required
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Bruges during CHristmas is a fairy-tale. I would even recommend it for a short honey-moon: it has it all: beauty, warmth, nice food, great sceneries and above all the medieval scenery.
I think most of these documents are those that people know well, but for new travelers this guide help in a sense that people often get confuse on how to tackle basic things even. So your post is great for that purpose!
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