Alberton student raises funds for European trip

ALBERTON – In recent weeks, the Alberton community has gathered around one Alberton High School student in support of her efforts to raise money for a trip to England.

Mackenzie Spence, a freshman at Alberton High School, was selected for a study abroad program through the People to People Ambassador Program. The national group arranges trips for students of various age groups to learn about the cultures of nations and people on all seven continents.

According to the People to People website, more than 20,000 students travel annually. The website also claims to play a significant role in increasing global awareness. However, while the organization arranges and schedules the trip, students who participate need to largely fund it themselves.

To raise money for the trip, Spence held bingo nights, raffles, participated at craft fairs and has had sponsorships granted by family members and local businesses throughout the community. While most of her efforts have been in the Alberton area, she said she might branch out into the rest of the county later on in the school year.

“I do plan to get over [to Superior and St. Regis] and get the word out,” said Spence.

According to Spence, the Alberton community has risen to the occasion to support her efforts to raise money. Many local businesses let her put up signs advertising her events or hosted raffles. She said the River’s Edge Resort, Lakeland Feed and Supply and the Alberton Public School had been especially helpful.

“It’s all been really nice,” Spence said. “Everyone’s been pretty supportive of what I’m trying to do.”

In January and February, Spence plans to hold a silent auction and spaghetti feed. She will also likely join others in her group to go caroling for donations. While her plans were vague, as the school year goes on Spence may set up other fundraising events in the county or participate in events with her group.

As far as Spence is aware, she is the only person from Mineral County to have been selected for the trip. However, she said changes to the chaperones and group leaders are made constantly, so another county resident could be scheduled to go before the trip happens.

While there has been no word on when the group leaves, the trip will be for approximately 19 days in June. The plans for when or how to buy tickets were also unknown at the time of the interview.

“I don’t even think our leaders know yet,” Spence said. “We’re all kind of waiting to see when we get to go.”

Spence’s group will visit London, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The group will mostly be composed of students from around the Missoula area. While other states and areas of Montana have groups through the program as well, the different regions are separate and are not expected to interact much.

According to Spence, she will be one of approximately 40 9th through 12th graders to go on the trip. Spence said her group will get to repel down the side of a castle, go whitewater rafting, see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace among other activities. The host families will also teach students how to cook some of the regional dishes.

Spence was excited as she mentioned how her group would get to stay with a host family in Dublin, Ireland.

“That should be really fun,” said Spence. “To actually be in a home with people that live there.”

However, the trip is not all fun and games. The group will also learn about the culture and government of the United Kingdom during the stay. Spence said she would learn about the British Parliament as part of the trip. There will also be teambuilding exercises and charity work.

Spence said she was excited for the trip, but nervous. This will be the biggest trip she has ever taken without her family. However, the support of her family and friends has helped to lessen many of those concerns.

“I talked to my friends that went last year,” Spence said. “They were freshmen and they said it was really fun.”

This kind of support has been instrumental to Spence in the preparations for the trip. The community has come together to help one of its own achieve her goal and further her education while becoming a more rounded, experienced person.