Thank you Mid-Hudson World Thank you Mid-Hudson World Affairs Council!Affairs Council!

Americans for Informed DemocracyAmericans for Informed Democracy

The president of The president of AIDemocracy, Seth AIDemocracy, Seth Green, was also the Green, was also the director of our campdirector of our camp

He, along with help He, along with help from other counselors from other counselors such as Courtney such as Courtney Matson and Carrie Matson and Carrie Schwartz, was able to Schwartz, was able to put together this put together this intellectually intellectually stimulating experiencestimulating experience

Washington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee University

All of the students All of the students stayed on campus stayed on campus in the dorms at in the dorms at Washington and Washington and Lee UniversityLee University

The beautiful The beautiful campus was also campus was also very open for very open for games of ultimate games of ultimate frisbee or any frisbee or any other sportother sport

Washington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee University We had complete We had complete

access to the gym on access to the gym on campus, and we were campus, and we were also allowed to sign also allowed to sign out and go into the out and go into the surrounding town of surrounding town of Lexington, VirginiaLexington, Virginia

In Lexington, we In Lexington, we enjoyed movies, enjoyed movies, restaurants, shopping, restaurants, shopping, and a homemade ice and a homemade ice cream parlorcream parlor

Washington and Lee UniversityWashington and Lee University In the other buildings In the other buildings

on campus, optional on campus, optional classes were held for classes were held for the studentsthe students

These classes ranged These classes ranged from a belly dancing from a belly dancing class, to more class, to more intellectual intellectual discussions, and even discussions, and even to a dance that was to a dance that was held for the students held for the students (but the counselors (but the counselors danced too)danced too)

LecturesLectures Our stimulating and Our stimulating and

intriguing lectures were intriguing lectures were given by some outstanding given by some outstanding peoplepeople

We had lecturers including We had lecturers including Mark Rush (professor of Mark Rush (professor of politics and law at WNL), politics and law at WNL), William B. Quandt William B. Quandt (university professor of (university professor of politics at UVA), Shah politics at UVA), Shah Mahmoud Hanifi (professor Mahmoud Hanifi (professor of history at JMU), Wright of history at JMU), Wright Doyle (director of the Doyle (director of the Global China Center), and Global China Center), and Lisa Schirch (associate Lisa Schirch (associate professor of peacebuilding professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite at Eastern Mennonite University)University)

Lectures continuedLectures continued These lectures ranged from topics These lectures ranged from topics

of global citizenship, to crises in of global citizenship, to crises in the Middle East, to the growing the Middle East, to the growing economic power of China, to economic power of China, to women and their rights, to women and their rights, to diseases in foreign countries, and diseases in foreign countries, and to environmental consequences of to environmental consequences of our ever-advancing technologyour ever-advancing technology

Immediately after the lectures, Immediately after the lectures, precept groups would be held to precept groups would be held to discuss the topics addressed in discuss the topics addressed in the lecture. Students were also the lecture. Students were also required to read passages from required to read passages from certain books and other reading certain books and other reading materials, which were provided materials, which were provided for usfor us

Also, most of the lecturers would Also, most of the lecturers would come and sit in on a precept come and sit in on a precept group after their lecture, so we group after their lecture, so we really got to connect with them really got to connect with them one on one and truly understand one on one and truly understand the issuesthe issues

Independence day!

• While at camp, we went to the Virginia Military Institute for an incredible fireworks display, some great food, and to see some very cool hot air balloons

Washington D.C. Day!Washington D.C. Day!

This was one of my This was one of my favorite parts of favorite parts of camp. We took an camp. We took an entire day to travel entire day to travel to Washington to Washington D.C.!D.C.!

D.C. continuedD.C. continued While in Washington D.C., we While in Washington D.C., we

went to the Atlantic Council went to the Atlantic Council where we had our campaigns where we had our campaigns judged in front of real judged in front of real members of the Atlantic members of the Atlantic CouncilCouncil

We were given time on one We were given time on one day to form groups and create day to form groups and create global campaigns that we felt global campaigns that we felt would truly make a difference would truly make a difference in our worldin our world

The campaigns were judged The campaigns were judged on presentation, the crux of on presentation, the crux of the campaign, and how the campaign, and how realistic the campaigns wererealistic the campaigns were

The winning campaign was The winning campaign was called S.A.S.S.Y. (Support a called S.A.S.S.Y. (Support a Self Sustaining Somalia YES)Self Sustaining Somalia YES)

WorkshopsWorkshops After lunch, our college or After lunch, our college or

leadership workshops were leadership workshops were heldheld

The students were divided up The students were divided up based on which track they based on which track they had chosen prior to their had chosen prior to their arrival at camp: college arrival at camp: college readiness track or leadership readiness track or leadership development trackdevelopment track

I chose the college readiness I chose the college readiness track, and found it to be very track, and found it to be very helpfulhelpful

It gave me some SAT prep It gave me some SAT prep while also informing me about while also informing me about different types of schools, and different types of schools, and how their size, location, and how their size, location, and general majors may affect my general majors may affect my decision to attenddecision to attend

Free timeFree time

While our days While our days were filled with were filled with many intellectual many intellectual activities, we were activities, we were also awarded one also awarded one hour of free time hour of free time each day, which each day, which most of us spent most of us spent either going into either going into town, or playing town, or playing foosballfoosball

Hunger BanquetHunger Banquet During the 2 week camp, the During the 2 week camp, the

counselors held a hunger banquet counselors held a hunger banquet for the students to better for the students to better understand the problem of hunger understand the problem of hunger in our worldin our world

The students were divided up The students were divided up based on the percentages of poor, based on the percentages of poor, middle-class, and rich people middle-class, and rich people worldwideworldwide

Luckily, I was rich, but it was Luckily, I was rich, but it was obvious to see how many people obvious to see how many people suffer lack of food every daysuffer lack of food every day

The counselors were somewhat The counselors were somewhat surprised when the rich people surprised when the rich people defeated the purpose of the defeated the purpose of the exercise and shared with exercise and shared with everyone so that everyone had everyone so that everyone had equal amounts of foodequal amounts of food

In this activity, the rich were In this activity, the rich were given Domino’s pizza (in excess given Domino’s pizza (in excess on purpose), soda, and appleson purpose), soda, and apples

The middleclass people were The middleclass people were given rice and beans, and the given rice and beans, and the poor were only given ricepoor were only given rice

Results of the campResults of the camp At this camp, I made some At this camp, I made some

outstanding friends, met outstanding friends, met people from other people from other countries, heard many countries, heard many interesting points of view interesting points of view which I had not previously which I had not previously considered, and saw a new considered, and saw a new part of the United Statespart of the United States

I am very thankful to have I am very thankful to have been given this incredible been given this incredible opportunity to expand my opportunity to expand my mind, meet new people, mind, meet new people, and experience new thingsand experience new things