As she strolls through an authentic Italian farm, eats another cup of gelato and swims in the Mediterranean Sea, junior Bela G. wonders how she got so lucky to have this experience.  A free trip to Italy, which started with an essay assigned in English class.

“Without the help of Mrs. Hartley, the support from my family and the tiny voice inside me saying ‘just go for it,’ it would have never happened,” Bela said.

Last year English teacher Jill Hartley gave Bela’s sophomore interdisciplinary class a research project which had to do with the future of food.  The writing followed requirements set up by an essay contest through the organization World Food Prize.  Students were to choose a country and solve the issues they face in regards to food.

“I felt like this was a good opportunity to do the research instruction I needed to do, but also offer an authentic audience for students,” Hartley said.

When the papers were finished, Hartley told the classes of a scholarship opportunity through EF Tours that would give recipients an authentic audience to present their work to.  Recipients of the “Global Citizen Scholarship” would travel to Italy over the summer and attend the Global Leadership Summit through the organization.  For the scholarship, students had to create a video on food problems in the world and in their own community, then relate the two.  Bela decided to pursue the scholarship, using the research she had already done for her essay and guidance from Hartley to complete the video.

Her video focused on the hyperinflation situation in Venezuela, and how it causes chaos.  She had a unique opportunity with this video to interview her aunt who lives in Venezuela, over the phone, to get an inside look on the issue.

“She has a personal connection there, and I think that made a difference because she knows people who are impacted by that issue,” Hartley said.  “This also contributed to her being very passionate about her topic, more so than others might have been.”

Bela sent her video to EF Tours along with over 500 others, and on Jan. 21 she was informed she received the scholarship.  She was one of 17 recipients.

“I was so surprised and thrilled and shocked- I could barely drive home,” Bela said.

On June 29, Bela headed to Boston where she first met the group of other scholarship recipients she would be traveling with.  The next evening, they were on their way to Italy to spend the next 12 days exploring the country.

Their first stop was Sorrento– Bela’s favorite city.  Here they explored a lemon grove, mozzarella farm and a butcher shop.

“In each of these places we were allowed to eat the natural foods they’ve grown, and let me tell you, it tastes significantly better,” Bela said.  “Even the hotel food was mind blowing.”

Next she went to Rome where she toured the Vatican, Pompeii and the Sistine Chapel.  After Rome, she traveled to Florence where Bela said they “shopped a ton, ate a ton and slept none.”  Finally, she went to Milan where the Global Leadership Summit took place.

At the summit, Bela joined kids from around the globe to hear from different speakers, including chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain, who talked about the Future of Food.  They were put into small groups and given six hours to solve a specific problem they were given.

After the two-day Global Leadership Summit, Bela and the other scholarship recipients flew home.  As of now, they still keep in touch.

“I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and applied for this scholarship I didn’t think I had a chance of getting,” Bela said.  “It was such a life changing experience.”