Outlaw player nominated for People to People program
“I
have long believed, as have many before me, that peaceful relations
between nations require mutual respect between individuals.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States
Each
year, People to People International sends over 40,000 students to 34
countries around the world on educational journeys of cultural
understanding and personal growth. This summer, Outlaw softball player
Hillary Renz will be one of them.
“This is very exciting
for me and is a big honor to be selected ... to be thought of as a good
representative,” said Renz, a sophomore at Sisters High School
and daughter of Mike and Heather Renz of Redmond.
Hillary, who
will play a variety of positions on the 2007 Outlaw softball squad,
will spend three weeks this summer in Europe. Among her stops will be
the Eiffel Tower, Normandy Beach, and Shakespeare’s hometown to
name only a few.
Hillary said she is a bit apprehensive about
the ambassadors’ visit to Normandy, France – site of the
World War II D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, where more than 57,000
Allied soldiers died and are buried.
“I’m a little
anxious to go there and see what it was like for those who lost their
lives there,” she said. “We will be participating in a
(memorial) wreath dedication to those soldiers who died on that
day.”
While Hillary says that will be a hard part, the
best part will be getting to know “the great kids in the program,
both from America and abroad. “Just getting to know them, and
their families will be be an awesome experience.”
She said her goal was to gain a “wealth of knowledge” not only about history, but the people she will meet.
“I
learn a lot from books, but it’s not the same as being there and
I will be there. I will experience it up close,” said Hillary,
who played both on the Outlaw varsity and junior varsity teams a year
ago. “I feel this will make me a better person and open my eyes
to the rest of the world.”
This will not be
Hillary’s first experience away from home. Last year, she
participated in a 12-day program known as The Jason Project which
offers onsite and hands-on experiences for students interested in
science, math and technology. She spent a week of preparation in
Wisconsin, then onsite at Meteor Crater, Arizona.
People to
People, however, is much different. It was founded in 1956 by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower, who believed that ordinary citizens of different
nations, if able to communicate directly, would solve their differences
and find a way to live in peace. This simple thought – that
people can make a difference where government cannot – is People
to People’s foundation.
People to People Ambassadors are
chosen for their commitment to and understanding of President
Eisenhower’s vision and their roles in helping to foster world
peace. As a result, the People to People mission developed around
personal exchanges and firsthand experiences with other cultures.
Since
1963, Student Ambassador Programs has taken thousands of young
Americans across international borders. Venturing abroad or on our own
continent, Student Ambassadors return home with a greater sense of what
it means to be a good neighbor and a global citizen.
Walt
Disney created the “It’s a Small World” attraction in
1964 after his participation in the People to People International
White House conference. This attraction has now introduced over 250
million people to the concept that we may have our differences, but
underneath we all share the same core values.
It is
amazing how Disney’s words are just as appropriate today as they
were when introduced in 1964. With the advancement of computers and the
age of the Internet, the ability to communicate with friends and
counterparts all over the globe has never been easier. Perhaps, People
to People International was a bit ahead of its time, or perhaps the
concept is timeless.
As Student Ambassadors and leaders
travel under the banner of People to People, they represent the best of
our country: hope, courage, openness and a love of peace.
President
John F. Kennedy said it best: “The nature of People to People
activities is as varied as the individuals involved. The housewife
whose recipe contains the yeast of kindness, the soldier whose arms
embrace homeless waifs, the doctor who heals with humility, all assert
a single theme — the power of people, acting as individuals, to
respond imaginatively to the world’s need for peace.”
Hillary
says her parents are extremely excited she has qualified for this
opportunity, but are a bit skeptical about her being able to earn the
funds to make it a reality.
“I’m very excited to go
and needless to say, any financial assistance will be greatly helpful
and appreciated,” said Hillary. “We have to raise the funds
ourselves, so there is a lot of prep work underway.”
Anyone who wants to assist Hillary with her fundraising or to make a contribution can contact her at (541) 548-2423.
Notes from head coach Tom Mauldin:
Anyone
wishing to play softball for the Outlaws in 2007, should contact Tom
Mauldin at 549-6170 or by e-mail at
coachtom@iinet.com.
Quotables by coach Mauldin:
“Sam Stoneback is throwing real well in winter workouts.”
“Becky Bremer and Jenna (Freshman) Sneva are getting real quick and covering a lot of ground.”
Did you know:
• Sneva won first big downhill race of the high school ski season;
• Bremer was All-State volleyball;
• Katie Hughes scored 20 points in narrow loss to state-ranked Marist basketball team;
Key upcoming Outlaw Softball dates:
•
Feb. 5 - Mandatory parent and athlete meeting at Sisters High School
(in the Lecture Hall), 7:30 p.m.). This is a good opportunity to meet
the coaches and hear what they have to say. And according to head coach
Tom Mauldin, he “likes to talk.”
• Each Monday and Thursday - Open Gym at Sisters High School, in the Practice Gym, 7:30 to ...
• Each Tuesday – Open Gym at Sisters Middle School, 6:30 - 8pm.
• Feb. 19 - first official team practice.
Outlaw Softball - All Good, All Positive, All Team
