Good friends win the trip of a lifetime

Two close friends have just won the opportunity to go on an international year-long tour helping communities with the cultural exchange and global education programme Up With People.

Kayla Hollis, 19, and Shawn Herman, 17, are two of 100 participants from more than 20 countries each year who “meet the needs of their communities, countries and the world while building bridges of understanding as a foundation for world peace.”

From July next year, they will leave the comfort of their family homes and embark on an experience of a lifetime.

While the pair have been accepted on the tour, it doesn’t come easy. They have to raise $20k each in order to be able to stay with the tour for the full year. (See how you can help below)

Ms Hollis and Mr. Herman applied for the tour earlier this month and then had to do a phone interview with the organizers saying why they were the best candidates.

They answered a broad range of questions covering topics such as their interests in the arts as well as their contribution to community service so far.

Ms Hollis, a former CedarBridge student studying General Studies at Bermuda College, recently played Sally Bassett in TROIKA’s play H.I.S.T.O.R.Y at City Hall Theatre and aspires to be a professional actress. Mr. Herman, a student at the Berkeley Institute, is a keen saxophonist and sportsman. Both are passionate about helping the community.

Ms Hollis said: “During my interview I was open and expressive and answered everything based on how I felt — rather than just saying yes and no I gave reasons to my answers.

“My major community service was in Baltimore on an ambassador’s programme called People to People. One day we went to this boardwalk that stretched about a mile around a huge lake and we had to clean the entire place. It was the middle of summer, it was hot and it was tiring but it was a good experience. They normally have to pay people to do it and so it doesn’t get done that often. It was good to help the community.

“When I finish the tour I would like to go away and do acting — I love it.”

Mr. Herman is the nephew of Wendell ‘Shine’ Hayward. He performed at the Premier’s concert in 2008.

He was introduced to music from a young age and would love to do it professionally as a career. He said: “I am fun to hang around and I’m a team player. If something is wrong with someone I will always try to cheer the person up. I like to make jokes and make people laugh. I’m a fun, easy person to hang around with.

“I’ve done a lot of community service — it’s a graduation requirement but I also play in the church band so that is helping the community in a way.”

While Ms Hollis and Mr. Herman have not yet been given a full itinerary of their tour, they have heard that they will travel to the States, the U.K. and Mexico. Both of them are looking forward to different aspects of the tour.

Ms Hollis said: “A friend of mine went on the tour before and said they help to build schools. That makes a huge impact on a nation so that is something to look forward — to know you are a part of helping out with something as big as that.”

Mr. Herman added: “I look forward to touring around the world playing my favourite instrument, having fun and meeting new friends. I was brought up with music — my mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, my dad used to play music to me through headphones on her stomach.”

The parents of Ms Hollis and Mr. Herman are organizing various fundraising events to help raise the $40k needed to send the pair on the tour. One of the main events will be a concert next year featuring Ms Hollis and Mr. Herman as well as other performers. They are also hoping to gain funding from corporate sponsors and donors. 

For more information about Up With People visit: www.upwithpeople.org