In June 2016, three students from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation are planning a trip to Germany and the Netherlands to learn about human rights & The Holocaust.   Human rights are the rights inherent to people everywhere, regardless of race, religion, language, or any other characteristic.  Despite being adopted by the UN in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, these rights - especially those of indigenous populations - continue to be violated today.  Our eighth grade students are interested in learning more about what led to the violation of these rights and how we can prevent this from happening again.  They will spend ten days learning about the atrocities of World War II by visiting Munich, Dachau, and the Anne Frank House, as well as many places important to the timeline of WWII. Their trip will end at a two-day leadership summit with other students from around the world where they will design a project (for high school credit!) about human rights that they can apply at home.  Our focus will be on the parallels between The Holocaust and the genocide of Native peoples in our own country.

This experience would open my students up to a world of possibilities that they would otherwise never experience.  Living on Pine Ridge, they face overwhelming circumstances.  Pine Ridge is located in one of the poorest counties in America .  With  unemployment rates fluctuating between 80-90%, a median household income of $5000, and dropout rates over 70%, the students on Pine Ridge are faced with statistics that don't expect much from them.  This trip not only provides them with a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience, but also opens them up to the wonder of travel, which will motivate and inspire them for the rest of their lives. 

Historically, Native rights in America have been largely denied and ignored.  It was illegal for Natives to practice their own religion or speak their native language well into the twentieth century.  The history of oppression and genocide in this country continues to affect Native youth today.  On Pine Ridge, there are staggering dropout rates and there has been an increase in the rate of suicide in recent years.  This trip offers opportunities and spaces for our students to think critically about the causes and effects of human rights' violations.  By listening to speakers and collaborating with other youth, it is my hope that they will generate their own ideas to protect and promote Native rights at home.  I believe it will also spark in them a love of learning and travel, which will provide them hope for the future.

So, how much would an incredible trip like this cost?  More than we can afford.  That's why we need your help!

Program price: $4,800 (This includes round-trip flights from Denver to Munich, 24/7 access to a German tour director, bike tour of Dachau, entrance to the Women's Museum in Bonn, the Documentation Center in Nuremburg, the Nuremberg Trials Exhibit, the Anne Frank House, dinner every night, and travel between Munich, Dachau, Nuremberg, Bonn, Cologne, the Hague, and Amsterdam)
Insurance: $155
Passports: $100
Lunch Money: $150 ($15/day)
Incidentals: $200 ($20/day is recommended for tip money for bus drivers and unexpected expenses)
Grand Total: $5,405

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