IN Peters Township October/November 2016 | Page 63

Service Across the World
BY NICOLE TAFE

Five
students from
Peters Township
traveled to
China for an
unforgettable
service-learning
trip.

Pictured L to R:
Judith Alexander,
WenQuan Zheng,
Zachary Strennen,
Kevin Mitchell,
Jeremy ReoNason
and Anthony
Castellone.

T

his summer, five Peters Township students traveled to China to take part in a
service learning opportunity. Following an informational meeting, Anthony
Castellone, Kevin Mitchell, Jeremy ReoNason, Zach Strennen and WenQuan
Zheng expressed a desire to travel to China and engage in a meaningful service project.
“I have traveled extensively, and participated in a large travel group last year,” says Judy
Alexander, who led the trip. “I have always been a true fan of service learning.” Though
this particular trip was not school sponsored, Alexander has been the PTHS Interact
Club Sponsor for the past six years. “My Interact students complete hundreds of hours of
service locally each year, and so taking service to the next level with this trip was the right
move,” she says.
The travel and tourism was planned by EF Tours, while the ME to WE Program
organized the service portion of the experience. ME to WE is a for-profit social enterprise
founded in 2008 by Canadian brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger that provides socially
responsible products and services, and donates half of its net profits to non-profit partner
WE Charity, formerly known as Free The Children.
Once the PT students arrived in China, they were paired up with another small group
of inner city students from Philadelphia and Harrisburg for the duration of the trip.
The group’s trip began with several days of touring China. The first sightseeing stop
on the trip was Tiananmen Square, whose name translates to “Gate of Heavenly Peace.”
There, students learned about the historical importance of the Square and also saw the
outside of the Mao Zedong Mausoleum. Next, the group walked to the Forbidden City,
which used to be the Imperial Palace for approximately 500 years. Then, a dragon boat
ride took the group to the Summer Palace that housed 700 acres of lakes, gardens and
palaces. That evening, all enjoyed a traditional Peking duck dinner.
The following day, students spent time in a Pearl and Jade establishment where they
were taught about pearls and how to determine if they are authentic. The next sightseeing
stop was the most anticipated—The Great Wall of China. “It was truly incredible, and
something everyone should see in their lifetime,” recalls Alexander. The students learned
about the history of the wall and how it was built, and then began their climb. “Climbing
the Great Wall was both fun and exhausting,” says Strennen. “We were like celebrities to
the Chinese people and many ran up to us and took surprise selfies. We later learned that
it was a big deal to meet an American who’s visiting China.” That evening, the group took
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