The emotional life of today’s teens is revealed in the thousands of compelling travel blogs submitted to the 3rd annual FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship.
(New York, November 13, 2009) – Family Travel Forum (FTF), the award-winning family vacation publisher, is proud to announce the winners of its 3rd annual Teen Travel Writing Scholarship competition. More than 8,500 student travel blogs – a 30% increase over 2008 – were submitted by Americans ages 13 to 18 hoping to win a merit scholarship.
Students wrote on an extraordinary range of topics — from family reunions with clueless relatives and making friends at the local bookstore to manning health clinics on tropical islands and searching for rare flowers in a rain forest. The 28 winners traveled near and far with their family, friends, or student travel groups, and shared stories about Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the United States.
The young travelers’ compassion was one remarkable aspect of this year’s travel blogs, as more than 10% wrote about their community service or mission trips. While most students found helping others fulfilling, many of the 2009 applicants reflected with despair and anger about the pervasive poverty in many of the destination countries – including their own. The travel experience revealed other common threads in the teen zeitgeist: Appreciation of the great outdoors; fear and respect for other cultures; love of family; relentless stress; and the joy of logging off their connected life back home.
2009 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to the recipients of 2009 Family Travel Forum Teen Travel Writing Scholarships, who will also enjoy a two-night stay at any of the 265 Homewood Suites Hotels in the US, Canada and Mexico.
1st Place ($1,000)
“African Field of Dreams” By Emily Mulder; Glen Ellyn, Illinois
2nd Place ($500)
“Beautiful Nepal” By Christine Anderson; San Ramon, California
3rd Place ($200)
“The Pennsylvania Hills ” By Kassandra Caudell; Cascade, Maryland
2009 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship Honorable Mention Winners
The 2009 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship Honorable Mentions will receive a Certificate of Commendation, two tickets to any of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museums or aquariums worldwide and a “Rand McNally 2010 Atlas.”
“A French Connection” By Yining Lu; Solana Beach, California
“A Golden Pause – A Life-Changing 2 Weeks” By Samantha Falewee; Huntersville, North Carolina
“A Perfect Tiramisu” By Jenna Ewald; Aurora, Colorado
“A Trip to Germany: The Privilege of Duty” By Carmen Gott; Goddard, Kansas
“Bienvenue En Haiti ” By Alexandra Mutty; Whitinsville Massachusetts
“Campeneac, France” By Lily Martin; Titusville, New Jersey
“Edgeware” By Samantha Karas; Lincoln, Nebraska
“Haiti” By Lindsey Cagney; Byfield, Massachusetts
“Heart of Italy” By Ben Lilly; Los Altos, California
“Heat, Heart, Teeth and Tears” By Melissa Gibby; Scotsboro, Alabama
“Journey into the Unknown in a Mega City” By Hetali Jokhakar; Glen Oaks, New York
“Language Barrier in Thailand” By Caitlin Camfield; Seattle, Washington
“Living Boldly in Dobrovnik” By Katie Senf; Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
“Machu Picchu” By Nathan Radakovich; Pullman, Washington
“Moby Dick Mudslide” By Kimberly Wogahn; Eau Claire, Wisconsin
“My Motherland, My Home, My Story” By Stella Thomas; New Hyde, New York
“Nature Does it Best” By Sydney Brown; Fort Wayne, Indiana
“Prairie Memories“ By Michelle Stone; Santa Rosa, California
“Rafflesia” By Elliot Brown; Okanogan, Washington
“Seoul, Korea” By Nelson Auner; Madison, Wisconsin
“Shooting for the Stars” By Colleen Swingle; Virgina Beach, Virginia
“Teaching in Sichuan, China” By Alice Lu; Oakton, Virgina
“The Shortest Trip but the Longest Journey” By Jacara Gillard; Bronx, New York
“The von Tresspass Family” By Katie Furr; Baton Rouge, Louisiana
“Vacation to Home” By Junia Zhang; San Diego, California
The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and Homewood Suites Hotels sponsored the top awards. Scholarship winners were selected by five professional travel journalists from SATW. Commented Kit Bernardi of the SATW Geography Education Committee, “These young writers achieved standards that define quality travel writing — whether their travel experiences took them across the globe, on a bus ride or to a family farm. Our judges were impressed by their essays that expressed a strong sense of place, touching human connections and a desire to explore the world.”
The work of the 2009 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship winners and thousands of other great student travel blogs can be seen at www.familytravelforum.com. The 2010 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship will begin accepting applications on June 15, 2010.
About FTF
Family Travel Forum Inc (FTF) has provided vacation planning resources to millions of families who “Have Kids, Still Travel”® since 1996. The independent media company’s publications, acknowledged “best of breed” by Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes and others, received Travel Weekly’s Magellan Award in the Online Guides category for 2009.
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If you want to practice your French or take Insta-worth pics on cobblestone streets, Montreal is definitely worth a visit. Plus, there are so many sights and landmarks to see, such as the Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal’s oldest Catholic church) and Olympic Park, which helped host the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Celebrate Halloween night by watching the Sanderson sisters rise from the dead and wreak havoc in this cult classic. PS: where did the last 25 years go?
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You’ve been under lockdown all spring, and summer is finally here. But it’s a COVID-19 summer, and it likely won’t look like any other in modern history. Still, the wanderlust is strong.“People want to travel. It’s a wonderful part of life.If you’re thinking about traveling later this summer, factor in the possibility that your destination may face a new outbreak before you arrive. You can make your plans now for a destination that appears to be relatively safe, but it may not be safe two to three weeks later.
I am trying to find out what dates the apples are harvested in the Annapolis Valley and area. We are taking a trip around the southwest area of Nova Scotia and would like to go at harvest time. This would include any other fruit harvesting. I can t seem to find any approximate dates. Thank you.
this is touristy. But there’s a good reason for that. Soar to the top of the Rockefeller Center via an elevator to take in the views at its observatory, Top of the Rock. You’ll be able to take in the many lights of the city from above, including a red-and-green Empire State Building.
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The majority of the general media coverage focused on virtual vacations, highlighting beach webcams, travel videos and virtual experiences in the destination. Additionally, U.S. News World Report featured Myrtle Beach as an affordable dream destination.
Stay at Castle Hotel and Spa and treat yourself to a Thai-inspired spa that is great for pampering or a romantic activity for couples.
New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Scenic Byway, running through the White Mountain National Forest, is renowned for its autumn leaves, making it one of the top road trips during the fall leaf-viewing season.
Good to know : Keep an eye on their Facebook page for opening day updates. And remember, the farm has chickens, geese, ducks and guinea hens walking around, so dogs are not allowed in the orchard or in the parking lot.
It’s free to enter if you’re in costume and arrive before m, so arrive on time and party the night away!
Multibillion-dollar innovation fair, largest to be held in Arab world, postponed by one year due to coronavirus.
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Travellers’ arrangements are being thrown into doubt, and many are wondering whether it’s worth going overseas in the first place. What should you do if you’ve booked a trip?
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“This is entirely due to airlines reducing space between rows and squeezing passengers into smaller and smaller seats, so small that there is now no longer room for a service animal on some planes,” the NDRN said. “Cramped space on planes is a nuisance to all travelers, but it now prevents some people from traveling at all.”
Discover a great camping location and book your next camping adventure. Our friendly, passionate staff is waiting to help you make the most of your experience. We can’t wait to see you!
The Arizona Family Campout Program is a one-weekend adventure designed for families who have little or no experience camping. This program will provide some equipment and introduce families to the new adventure of camping at an Arizona State Park.
Practise camping before you go, especially with young children. Talk about it with your kids. Set up a tent inside or outside, and spend some time in it.
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It is always better to have more space when traveling with children.
Known as “Kidsburgh” thanks to all the family-oriented activities in the area, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is an affordable and fun pick for families. Book tickets to popular attractions, like the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, on the VisitPittsburgh
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Trekking In Nepal is one of the most popular tourist Activities. Trekking in Nepal generally involves walking on trails with beautiful views for around 6 to 8 hours a day. In a trek, a trekker walks along routes with the variety of land topography including passes, river, high altitude routes, and much more. Travelers enjoy trekking in Nepal because they can enjoy the beautiful nature and sceneries of the country.
Nepal is a land of wonder and home to 8 breathtaking mountains above 8000 meters. These include Mt. Everest (the tallest mountain in the world), Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Machhapuchhre, Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Dhaulagiri, etc. Needless to say, these are some of the tallest mountains in the world. These mountains and the wonderful trails nearby make trekking in Nepal a delightful prospect.
All of these mountains are well-protected. Besides, the area and surrounding forests form a part of many national parks and conservation areas. There are many lakes, gorges, waterfalls, and culturally significant places nearby these trekking areas. Thus, people from all over the world dream of trekking in Nepal.
There are many trekking in Nepal, Some of these treks are short in length. These treks last anywhere from a day to one week. On the other hand, there are also longer treks that can take anywhere between a week and a month.
Annapurna Circuit Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Mardi Himal Trek, Everest Base Camp treks are some of the most popular treks in Nepal. These treks are moderate in their length.
Langtang valley trek, Everest view trek, and Ghorepani Poonhill trek are some of the popular short treks. Due to their short span, these Short treks in Nepal tend to cost a lot less than longer treks.
As you trek to the high altitude, high Himalayas and their beauty will greet you. Panoramic mountains and the beautiful sunrise/ sunset amidst the soaring mountains will be a delight.
Most trekking areas are also declared as national parks and conservation areas. These are home to beautiful species of birds and animals. You can get to see some exotic animals, butterflies, and birds during your trek in Nepal.
Belgium forbade all international travel early in the pandemic, according to the United States Embassy in Belgium. Any travelers who are permitted entry (there are strict restrictions) must self-quarantine for 14 days. The country started easing its strict lockdown on May 4 and will continue to open parts of the country in a phased way, but tourism is not among the phases.
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Agra is one of the best beautiful places in India and the Taj Mahal is one of the Beautiful world heritage places in the world. Thanks, for sharing great information learn something new today.
Have a vehicle in Tracy, California that I need driven cross country to Columbus, Georgia.