Experience of a Lifetime By Grace Regan

To sum up this trip in one word is impossible. It was exciting, fun, tiring, educational, entertaining, phenomenal, even life changing. Never could I have imagined how much we would fit into one week. We hit up Camp Nou, the Picasso museum, las Ramblas, la sagrada familia, and best of all, the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. There wasn't a dull moment. I even loved our 13 mile walks, adventuring through the city. Back in Kingston I'm having serious Barcelona withdrawals. Already counting down to next years summit!

First Time International Travelers By Isabelle Stitt and Sophia Reinhardt

Being first time international travelers, we had no idea what to expect. We were a little anxious before the flight because sitting on a plane for 8 hours is a lot different than sitting on a plane for 1 or 2. Security took longer than normal, but it wasn't so bad being with a large group of people we were all friends with. Credit to all the chaperones for keeping 24 nervous high school students together and calm in a crowded airport.

The actual plane, we figured out, was different too. As we walked through the aisles to find our seats, which was no easy task, we heard every language from Spanish to languages we couldn't even identify. It was weird, it was our first time being the people that spoke a different language. Everything in the plane was labeled in three languages: Spanish, English and Catalán. And unlike any other flight we've been on, they served you actual food. We got dinner and breakfast on the plane.

Movies were playing the whole time and there was a radio attached to every seat. You could plug your headphones into your armrest and listen to all sorts of music or watch the tv. They also gave everyone a pillow and a blanket for the flight.

Overall it was a fun experience that was just the beginning of what we knew was going to be an amazing trip.

United Nations Workshop By Kassidy Kelly

During the second day of the summit, I had the opportunity to go to a workshop all about the UN and how to change the world. With their 17 Sustainable Development Goals, such as no poverty, zero hunger, and quality education, there are so many ways that us as students and young adults can make a worldwide difference.

The workshop was especially amazing because  it was an hour and a half of complete discussion among the student audience. It was crazy to be among these students from all around the world and to hear their brilliant ideas. Everyone in that room had something to say and were very passionate about the topics discussed.

 What truly surprised me was that the Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information of the United Nations, Christina Gallach was there not only to run the workshop, but to take down her own notes and take all of our ideas into consideration.

The workshop opened with a video called "HOME" and it really hit me that our home is something we want to protect. But we can't continue to think of our home as a specific country or city. Our home is planet earth. With the goals and targets proposed by the United Nations, there's no reason that we can't all come together as people all living in the same home and make it a better place.

The single thing that inspired me the most was when we were told as a group that we CAN make a change and make a huge difference even in our young age. It was a true blessing to be able to attend this workshop!

Sagrada Familia by Matt VanVliet

The Sagrada Familia is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe and it was definitely one of the most memorable moments (other than seeing the laureates) for me. As a Catholic, it meant a lot to me to see the amazing architecture and to be able to walk inside of it. During the tour, we listened to the history of the basilica, porticos and the interior features. We walked miles to get to it, but it was all worth it once we could see it.
The person that inspired me the most was Betty Williams thanks to how personal she was with us. She repeatedly said that to fix problems and bring peace we need to start from the bottom and work our way to the top. Overall this trip was amazing! All 28 of us made so many memories together and I don't think it should have been any different.

CAMP NOU By Josh McNutt

FC Barcelona is a soccer team that plays in the top tier of the Spanish professional league. Their stadium; Camp Nou is one of the most iconic in the world. Built in 1957, the stadium has been renovated several times since its inauguration and currently holds just over 99 thousand fans. The stadium is home to some of the greatest players in the world such as Messi, Neymar Jr., Suarez and formerly, Ronaldinho. We were fortunate enough to take a tour of the stadium on our first day here in Barcelona. We went in press boxes, the visiting team locker room, through the tunnel to the field and even on field level! As a soccer player, his was one of the locations I really wanted to visit on this trip and the experience of everything we did was amazing. What inspired me most on this trip was hearing David Trimble and FW de Klerk defend America in front of the whole world during a live broadcast of the conference.

The Inspirational Betty Williams by Julia Wolf

The person that inspired me the most is most definitely Betty Williams. First applying for the trip and picking a laureate to write about, Betty stood out from all the others. Seeing her and listening to her speak at the summit seemed so unrealistic that the laureate I first learned to adore was standing right in front of me. Betty's words were truly inspiring my favorite quote being "the power of love is incredible, and you don't have to speak the same to love someone." Her story is truly inspiring and I absolutely adore her. ~Julia Wolf

The Picasso Museum By Neha Patel

The Picasso museum was a wonderful experience! It did a great job depicting  Picasso's  growth and transformation as a artist.  I loved the abstract paintings and attempting to interpret them. The thing that inspired me the most was the way Picasso used so many different mediums to create beautiful paintings.
~ Neha Patel

Betty Williams By Karlee North

On Friday November 13th, I met Betty Williams. She is one of the strongest women in the world. She's dedicated her life to truly making the world a better place. She told us gruesome stories about children in developing countries who had been abused. She also told us remarkable stories about children she had saved. I am astounded by this woman. She has changed so many lives and helped so many children. She is a true hero. At her workshop on Friday we were able to take a group photo. I was also able to hug her. I hugged Betty Williams. I hugged a hero. The thing that inspires me the most about Betty is the fact that she will and never give up on the suffering children that live in our world. She will be the voice of the children who have none. She will fight for peace until she no longer can, and thats what I love the most about her. "You don't break a promise to a child.", Betty said. And she will never break her promise to help suffering children.

Las Ramblas By Adrianna Elashker

Las Ramblas is invigorating. As we made our way through alley streets into the main avenue, our eyes widened. The street is alive, filled with restaurants, shops, and vendors. There is a market filled with locals and tourists alike shopping and looking. Just walking up and down the street allowed us to get a feel for the area and truly experience Las Ramblas. The person who has inspired me most on this trip is Tawakkol Karman because of her bravery and passion.

Tawakkol Karman By Layla Hindiyeh

Tawakkol karman
On the second day of the summit we had the opportunity to listen to the amazing Tawakkol Karman speak. She was the second Muslim woman to win the Nobel peace prize. Her voice echoed empowerment and confidence. With her kind personality, it made it easy to strike up a conversation with her. As a teenager with a Muslim background, I felt it very easy to be drawn into what she was saying. Muslim women are often insubordinate to men. She made it clear that we are all human, with the same eyes, bones, and flesh. Her voice of equality for all was inspirational and moving. The passion when she spoke proved how strongly she felt towards the need for equality and peace for all, especially Muslim women. The thing that inspired me the most was the courage that she had to stand in front of a diverse group of students and strongly voice her opinions, because they are what she stands for.

¿Direcciones por favor? By Grace Regan

I love being in Spain. The other day on our way to the Picasso Museum, we had some trusty navigators, but I figured there had to be someone who knew a little better. So as we passed I  went up to a Spanish police officer and said, "¿Donde esta el museo de Picasso?" Perfect chance to practice my Spanish skills! Precisely what I was training for since 7th grade. The officer replied understanding perfectly. I was able to interpret his directions to straight seven blocks and the it's right to the right. "Don't worry everyone I know how to get there!" Gracias oficial de policia.
What inspired me the most was the passion behind Tawakkol Karman's speeches. Everything she said, she was so sure of and ready to fight for. Mrs. Karman was truly someone to aspire to.

A Summary of the Summit by Thuc Nguyen

    Just a few months ago I remember that first 9^th period meeting. We all walk in to Mr. Sullivan’s room, him and Mrs. Bryant are standing at the front of the room with a look on their faces that says that our lives are about to change. We all sit and the news is laid out before us. “We have about a 15% chance of making this trip happen” Mr. Sullivan says with Mrs. B chiming in afterwards with a slightly more optimistic number, and so our journey had begun. As the weeks went by, the slow trickle of information about the trip raised that 15% gradually: 20%, 35%, 50%, all the way up until Tuesday morning; 99%. I think many of us still think we’re at 99%; floating on that 1% cloud of a dream.
    Tomorrow will be our 100%. We’ll know we have made it by tomorrow, as we conclude this 3 day summit filled with debates that could go on for hours, speeches that brought waves of chills, speakers who we couldn’t have even imagined being 

able to see, and plenty of gelato. 

     I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone on the trip, especially our wonderful chaperones, get pictures with, shake hands with, and speak with some of these amazing peace prize winners. We nerd-out about these laureates at an almost unhealthy level. 

     So tomorrow our adventures meeting laureates and listening to them speak passionately about peace will come to a conclusion. It’s difficult to believe that just months ago we were at 15% thinking that there was no way we were going to be able to make this trip happen, and now the conference is almost over and we’re almost at 100%.

    There is no one I’d rather be at this summit with than our family of 28 great, intelligent, funny, crazy people.

An Experience I will Never Forget by Julia Hack

    On our fourth day of the trip, we are having a blast!  We have had so many amazing experiences.  On the first day, we had a "marathon day."  We got off the plane Wednesday morning, and headed to the hotel, and then right to sight seeing!  We went to Camp Nou, the stadium where the Barcelona professional soccor team plays.  We got to check out the huge statium, which holds 99,000 people, and go on the field.  We then took the metro to the Picasso museum, and had a great time there.

    On the second day, we had another full day of sightseeing.  We went to the Sagrada Familia, a beautiful Church.  The windows of the Church were all different colors, it was gorgeous!  We then got ready for our first conference day. 

   The third day was our first full day of the conference. We listened to several inspirational speakers, including FW de Clerk and Betty Williams.  Each student then got to pick a workshop to attend.  We then spent the evening in Las Ramblas, eating and shopping.

    Today, our fourth day, was equally as fun.  We had panels to listen to in the morning, and more workshops in the afternoon.  I had the incredible experience to be able to attend the United Nations workshop, which was the one I was most excited about seeing!  

    Just in these few days, we have accomplished so much!  Our group has seen almost all of the famous sites in Barcelona, and we have had the opportunity to meet with several laureates.  Many students have had one on one conversations with many laureates! The trip is going amazingly! 

Barcelona Bound By Layla Hindiyeh

In just a few short hours we're going to be on a plane to Barcelona! Crazy to think that just a few short months ago this trip was a dream and it's now a reality. I couldn't be more excited to spend the next week with my peers, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

The Day is Here! By Julia Hack

    Today is the day!  Bags are checked, passports in hand, we are ready to go to Barcelona!  This journey bagan in the end of the last school year, when we applied to go on a triip to Atlanta, Georgia to go to the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.  We went through a difficult application process, involving two essays, teacher and community recommendations, and transcripts.  After applying, we found out the Summit had been moved to Barcelona, Spain.  The list of participants was released a few months later, and we have been working hard on making the trip happen since then.   In those few short months, we have worked hard on getting all of the documents we need to travel. Many of us are first time international travelers, and needed to get our passports.  As a group, we have also been working on fundraising and commities were formed to help plan different aspects of the trip.  We have been counting down to this day for months!  We are very excited to go to Barcelona!  Thank you to everyone who helped this trip happen.  I can't believe the day has finally arrived!

Learning About the Summit and Trip of a Lifetime

    Towards the end of my sophomore year at Kingston High School, Mrs. Bryant and Mr. Sullivan called a meeting regarding the World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Atlanta, Georgia which 24 students and four chaperones were invited to (we did not know who was accepted at the point). The trip advisors had made plans for our transportation and lodging to Atlanta and we were all exhilarated at the prospect of going to this Summit. Apparently there was a change in venue and the conference was to be held in Barcelona, Spain.  
    Upon hearing this news, I was both elated and worried. Having the opportunity to go to Spain to attend this prestigious Summit was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Then again, there was no way my mom was going to let me go to Spain with a bunch of people she’s never met. Then Mr. Sullivan and Mrs. Bryant proceeded to tell us that there was only a 15% chance that this trip will actually happen. Therefore, any faith I had in going to this conference was pretty much destroyed.  
    How was this district supposed to get 28 people to Spain for a week in only four months? I did not even know if I had gotten accepted to go to Atlanta, let alone Spain! In fact, I completely forgot all about this whole conference until about mid-July when my friend texted me at about 10:00 pm. She asked if I wanted to room with her. 
    “What on earth are you talking about?” I responded, “Room with you for what?” Having faint memory of the meeting regarding Spain, I checked the “Barcelona Bound” website. There lied my name on the list of accepted participants.  
When I told my parents, they were actually thrilled that I was accepted and that I had earned a spot on such an amazing experience. They told me that when they were younger, they never had opportunities to go abroad and they wanted me to do the things they never had the chance to do. (Of course, I used that time to tell them that I needed $500 to cover the first deposit.) 
    I am extremely excited for this trip and I cannot wait until I land in Barcelona!
-Jada Ohene-Agyei

Radio Interview

This morning, Hunter Reinhardt, Layla Hindiyeh, Grace Regan, Isabelle Simek, Mrs Bryant, and I went on the radio with WKNY to discuss our upcoming trip to Barcelona to attend the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.  We were interviewed by Scott Harrington about different aspects of the trip.  We first introduced ourselves, and discussed our travel plans.  Isabelle explained the conference and why it is so important to us.  Each student explained which laureates they are most excited about seeing at the conference, including Malala Yousafzai, Betty Williams, and FW de Klerk.  Mr Harrington asked each student about how we got involved in going to the conference.  We explained the application process, and how we were encouraged to apply by our teachers.  During the interview, there were two callers, who each supported the trip and said great things about it.  They each said kind things about the experience we are going to have, and how amazing our advisors are.  We also discussed what other clubs and activities we are involved in at school.  Our answers ranged from sports, to art, to student government.  The interview went very well, and we all had a great time doing it.  Mr Harrington was a great interviewer, and is very supportive of our trip.  We are so grateful to have the opportunity to share our excitement about attending the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates with our community. 
-Julia Hack

Betty Williams

Meeting the incredible Betty Williams is just a few days away. Incredible!
-Layla Hindiyeh

A First Time International Traveler

     This trip to Barcelona, Spain will be full of firsts for me.  I have never travelled abroad before and also have never been on a plane for more than a few hours.  I have flown back and forth from Chicago a few times, which is a very short and easy flight. Flying over the ocean for almost eight hours will be an entirely new experience for me. 
     This being said I have never been to Spain before.  I am excited to go to see all of the beautiful sites, visit the most famous places, and eat the best foods.  We have been researching all of these things for months, and I am excited to experience these things in person.  I am especially interested in walking through the streets of Barcelona, and eating all of their delicious foods.
     I am most excited to attend the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.  This conference will allow me to hear, and possibly meet inspirational people from all over the world speak about life-changing topics. Hearing these people speak will be inspirational to me as I explore possible career options in the future.  Experiencing these things with my friends will make the trip even better.
     I have been counting down the days for this trip for months, and can`t believe it is just one short  week away.  As I am making last minute preparations and brushing up on my Spanish, I am finally realizing how great of an experience this trip will be.