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| 7/28/2010 10:54:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| The mountains rise behind Jennifer Liska at Lake Peyto in Banff, Alberta, Canada. |
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| Jennifer Liska of Seward stands on the Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada, during a recent People to People trip. |
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Seward seventh-grader travels to Canada
Stephanie Croston
Sports Editor
When it comes to international trips, most 12-year-olds don't take them unless they're with their family.
Jennifer Liska is not most 12-year-olds. The seventh grader took part in People to People, a student ambassador program, June 23-July 4. She traveled to Canada with a group of middle school students from Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas.
The group spent six days each in British Columbia and Alberta. They kept daily journals of their activities and impressions, and Jennifer used her time on the bus to write and illustrate hers.
Her favorite part of the trip was sleeping in a tipi in Alberta, although the temperature dropped to about 30 degrees at night. The students wore hats, sweats and other layers to bed and still woke up cold, she said.
She also enjoyed the screaming game. You run and scream for as long as you can on one breath.
"I won the last round," Jennifer said.
While they visited the Blackfoot tribe, the students were allowed to sit in on a sweat lodge ceremony. Jennifer said the lodge was built using a bent-over tree and blankets. A heated rock is placed in the middle of the lodge and water is dropped on it to create steam.
Jennifer said she had researched the Blackfoot for a per-trip project, so she knew what to expect.
They also got to walk on the Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, which "was very cold," she said. Students were allowed to stay on it for just 20 minutes. Any longer, and their toes would be frostbitten, she said.
While on the glacier, "we saw a small avalanche," she said.
They also drank out of a fresh-water stream, which was also cold, according to Jennifer.
While they were in British Columbia, the students toured the Parliament building and learned about Canada's parliamentary government.
They also went whale watching and got to see the animals breach to breathe, Jennifer said. They practiced howling with grey wolves at the Northern Lights Wildlife Centre in Banff, Alberta, as well.
"They like to howl in groups," she said.
At Nanaimo, the students participated in Tree-GO, a climbing activity that included zip lines, suspended bridges, scramble nets and swinging logs, according to the itinerary.
They also visited Petroglyph Park where they saw early Canadian carvings.
"They had lots of weird animals," Jennifer said, listing a wolf fish among them.
They also got to make arrowheads, and Jennifer's has sharp points, she said.
One of the more unusual meals they ate was buffalo stew.
"It tastes like steak," Jennifer said.
They were in Canada on Canada Day and got to meet a Canadian Mountie who told them about the Mounties and their history.
"They don't use horses any more," Jennifer said, adding that they are outfitted with modern tools and vehicles.
The students stopped at an old school for a session with Miss Morris. Jennifer said the class was tough.
At the end of the trip, the students visited Calgary and went to the top of Calgary Tower, which has a glass floor. Jennifer said it was disconcerting to step out over the city.
Not just anyone can be a student ambassador. Jennifer said her teachers at Seward Middle School wrote recommendation letters for her. After an interview, Jennifer was notified that she had been selected. The group met five or six times before the trip, giving the students chances to get to know each other.
"I had a really great time," Jennifer said, adding that she would recommend the experience to anyone.
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