Shawn Robitaille and Angela Roy Chosen to Participate in Up With People

By: Johanna Mathieu

Seniors Angela Roy and Shawn Robitaille have both been chosen to participate in Up With People Worldsmart, a multicultural leadership program. In July 2000, both students will travel to Denver, Colorado to learn about all of the aspects of the program before they begin their yearlong tour of the world. Currently, both are in the process of fundraising for tuition for the program.

Up With People Worldsmart is a program designed to teach leadership skills to talented and motivated youths aged 17 to 25. After Shawn and Angela complete six weeks of training in Colorado they will be assigned to one of five casts of approximately 150 people. Each cast travels to at least 2 continents and over 30,000 miles during the year. They will both be involved in a show- performed in the native language of the country they are in- involving a live band, chorus, soloists, choreography, costumes, and drama. This show will be performed 100 times to over 100,000 people during the year. Also, they will learn about the politics, history, and cultural traditions of each country or area they travel to and participate in community service projects and volunteer programs throughout the world on their trip. In addition, they will get a chance to meet people all over the world and stay with 80 to 90 different host families.

Shawn explains that he has "wanted to travel with Up With People ever since the cast came to perform in 1996." This past year, when the show came to Lewiston again, his family hosted a Swiss student named Janine. She told him, "One day you could be staying in a mansion in the French Alps and other times you are staying with the poorest families in Mexico with no running water, no heat, and none of the luxuries that we have today." Shawn, excited to "[see] the world, all aspects of the world," was interviewed last spring when the cast was in Lewiston. Angela, who is anxious for this "chance of a lifetime," was interviewed at the end of June in Orlando. Both explained that the formal interview process simply involves sitting down with an alumni of the program and just getting to know each other for about 45 minutes. Also, all applicants must complete a four-page application that includes such important questions as "What are your goals in life and your future plans?" Two months after Shawn completed the process and one month after Angela did they both found out that they had been accepted.

The hardest part for both of them has definitely been finding a way to pay the tuition. Each student must come up with $14 000 for tuition about another $1 000 for spending money. Therefore, ever since they both were accepted, they have been trying to find ways to get enough money. Angela has been doing "a constant bottle drive, garage sales, and [looking for] donations." Also, she plans a road race, singing contest, and raffles. Meanwhile, Shawn has been doing raffles, car washes, and bottle drives, as well as writing letters to local businesses asking for contributions.

When Shawn and Angela get back from touring with Up With People they both intend to go to college and pursue careers in performing arts. They hope that their year with the program will give them a broader view of the world and many unforgettable experiences.

If you would like to help support Shawn or Angela, contributions may be mailed to:

Shawn Robitaille

1140 Main Street

Lewiston, ME 04240

Tel. (207) 784-7188