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