I’ve left my perspective out of this blog until now because the girls have had such beautiful words to capture their experience.  But I would like to take a moment to thank the Hutchison parents and faculty for sharing their amazing daughters and students with me for a few very special days.  

In preparing for a trip with ten girls, I must say I expected some warranted complaining, maybe some cliques, and a tiff or two amongst them.  I was armed with techniques from the World Leadership School Curriculum to resolve any issues that arose.  However, what happened in reality was quite unexpected.   None of the leaders ever heard any complaining, there was only one huge clique of all 10 girls, and zero tiffs.  I am still astounded by how this group of girls not only survived 29 hours of travel, baby-wipe baths, unending plates of potatoes, and mud up to their eyelids, but also laughed and sang through it all.  Moreover, your girls were so exceptional that we decided to expand the curriculum to challenge them even further.  You should ask them about the great data they collected by interviewing Ollanta’s community members (mostly in Spanish).

 As I said to the girls, I am eager to hear where life takes them.  Without exception, each of the girls contributed so much joy, optimism, love, leadership, flexibility, and humility to learn from people with experiences very different from theirs.   Whatever path they choose in life, they have the capacity to do amazing things. 

The girls represented themselves, their families, Hutchison, World Leadership School, and all gringas so beautifully.  I hope you all are very proud of what special individuals you have raised.  Thank you again for sharing them with me.

Sincerely,

Savannah Keith

World Leadership School Instructor 2012

P.S.  Hutchison, you should be equally proud of Helen and Caroline.  Their leadership and encouragement no doubt made the trip the success that it was.  I couldn’t have done it without them!