Brianna’s Adventure to the Canadian West


Funding for: My Tuition & Travel Expenses

about my venture

Hi my name is Brianna Symes. I’m in the 6th grade at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School. I’m honored to be a People to People Student Ambassador. With this honor I will have an experience of a lifetime to travel to Canada in the summer of 2012.  The People to People Ambassador Program was launched in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. For nearly 50 years, People to People Ambassador Programs has served as People to People International's global educational travel provider, organizing and promoting opportunities for bridging cultural and political borders through direct interaction, unparalleled access, and unique experiences.

Eisenhower was acting on his firm belief that direct interaction between ordinary citizens around the world can promote cultural understanding and world peace. That proud legacy of hope lives on in People to People Ambassador Programs on seven continents.

My first stop on my trip will be to the Capital British Colombia, Victoria, where I’ll visit Craigdarroch Castle, one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in the world. Then I’ll explore Victoria's Parliament and grounds with a knowledgeable guide to learn about Canada's government. Here I’ll learn a different governmental process that’s different from my own. I’ll even have a chance to spot pods of whales as I sail through the San Juan Islands. Enjoy a unique experience at the world-renowned Fairmont Empress Hotel, indulging in an elegant lunch while attending a traditional afternoon royal tea.

I’ll travel to Nanaimo, Canada and challenge myself at Monkido, where I’ll have a chance at a climbing course soaring high above a massive Douglas fir forest in Trieko. After that I’ll visit Petroglyph Provincial Park to learn about petroglyphs and the early First Nations people who created them. Then I’ll be able to get my hands wet by working with the marine biologists at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. I’ll even have a chance to help the community by cleaning up a part of the beach and ocean there.

Next stop will be to Okanagan, Canada where I’ll travel the scenic Coquihalla Highway to the lakeside town of Kelowna, and have lunch at the beautiful Bridal Falls. I will then get to stay on the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus in Kelowna. Where I’ll be able to see a stone-tool demonstration by a renowned archaeologist at the university and even try making my own obsidian arrowhead!

Next stop will be to Banff and the Canadian Rockies where I’ll experience the breathtaking beauty of Banff National Park. I’ll even learn how to control avalanches at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre. I’ll encounter the powerful gray wolf at the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre, where I’ll learn the importance of the gray wolf. Then I’ll take a gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain to dine in the Summit Restaurant, surrounded by the crests of the Rocky Mountains. I’ll ride back down the gondola and soak in hot springs framed by a brilliant sunset and a rosy alpenglow.

I’ll travel to Banff and the Athabasca Glacier, Canada and Journey out to the Columbia Icefield, a massive accumulation of snow and ice that serves as the headwater for rivers that flow to the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic oceans. I’ll be able to drive in a specially designed snow coach so we can drive on the glacier's surface to learn about its formation and movement. I’ll even have a chance to walk on the Athabasca Glacier, a tongue of ice almost four miles long. During my walk I’ll get a chance to drink some of the purest water to be found anywhere—from snow that fell hundreds of years ago! Once we return we’ll get the inside scoop from a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, better known as a Mountie.

In Brocket, Alberta I’ll travel to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to explore the history, culture, and traditions of Canada's First Nations people. I’ll take part in drumming and dancing led by elders of the Piikani nation. Gather around the campfire to sample some traditional foods, like Buffalo. Learn sacred Blackfoot songs while taking part in a sweat lodge ceremony. I’ll even experience firsthand what it is like to sleep in a teepee at the First Nations camp for 2 days.

In Drumheller Valley and the Badlands, Canada I’ll pass through Canada's wild Badlands, and wonder at the power of the glaciers that carved its massive rock formations. Learn what life was really like during Canada's coal boom by spending the night in a refurbished miner's cabin. Walk among soaring dinosaur skeletons at the renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum. Come face-to-face with Albertosaurus, a meat-eating dinosaur named for the region of Canada it dominated.

In Calgary, Canada I’ll visit colony of Hutterites, who preserve a simple, peaceful way of life. I’ll get to have some fun with fellow Ambassadors, and join in the games and unique activities at the Canada Olympic Park. Experience a commanding view of the city from the top of Calgary Tower.

That is what my 12 day experience will be and I’m hoping you can help me get there.

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    $1,010.00

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  • elevator pitch

    Help me take a once in a lifetime trip to the Wonders of the Canadian West, where I'll learn about a different culture and country.

  • backer rewards

  • Friendship Bracelet

    Sponsor me for $5 and receive a homemade friendship bracelet mailed to you.

    0 backers

    $5.00+ pledge

  • Original Photograph By Brianna Symes

    For $25 I will email you a original photograph I have taken.

    5 backers

    $25.00+ pledge

  • Digital Photo DVD of Trip

    For $100 I will mail you a Digital photo DVD of my entire trip to you, once I get back home.

    4 backers

    $100.00+ pledge
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about entrepreneur

Brianna Symes

People to People Ambassador

I'm a 6th grade student at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School in Lake Arrowhead, CA. I love learning in every way. My favorite thing to do is reading. I'm a honor roll student and I have a 3.5 gpa. I'm a hard worker with a big heart. I have 2 younger sisters and hope I'm setting a good example for them every day. I love my family and hope I can do my best and represent them well no matter what I do.