Freshman Accepted into Rustic Pathways Program


Grade 9 student Luke Tyson has been accepted to the next generation of change makers through the Rustic Pathways summer program. 

Nearly 400 students from around the world applied to the program, and Luke is one of ten students to be offered a fully-funded scholarship for the organization’s first ever By Invitation Only program: Peace, Wonder, and Understanding Islam. According to its website, the program will promote global understanding and religious tolerance through powerful conversation to help students from varying backgrounds comprehend what it really means to live in a multicultural society where difference is celebrated.
 
Luke is very passionate about international travel and culture. “I spent time Googling ways to see the world, and I thought this trip would be a perfect fit,” he said. “Building bridges with the Islamic community has never been more important than it is right now, and with all that is going on in the world, I’m eager to take the opportunity to learn more.”
 
The deadline for the application was January 6, and the list of selected travelers was released on February 10. The program didn’t notify individuals personally; Luke and his advisor Ms. Michael-Ann Cerniglia were both refreshing the Rustic Pathways’ Facebook feed to find out whether he had been selected on that fateful Friday evening – an experience he described as “dreadful and hopeful.” “We were not informed before the public, so it was a bit of a shock when I saw my face on the blog post. It was so exciting, and Ms. Cerniglia called me immediately to congratulate me,” he reflected. “I applied on a whim with a distant hope; I never fathomed I’d actually be selected.”
 
Although this is his first year at the Academy, Luke credits his SA surroundings in furthering his passion to explore cultures different from his own. “I think that the passion the teachers have here has made it easy for me to develop my love and curiosity for the Middle East and Islamic culture – the teachers were a huge catalyst for me to apply in the first place.”
 
“Luke genuinely cares to learn about the people and world around him and he is deeply committed to gaining knowledge and understanding towards building inclusive communities,” Ms. Cerniglia said. “The extra-curricular activities Luke engages in, the classes he selects, and the service work he does, truly embrace the mission of Sewickley Academy to engage hearts, minds, and hands to cultivate individual and collective potential. I am really excited for Luke's adventure in Morocco and looking forward to the ways in which he will share this experience with our community here at SA.”
 
The cost for the By Invitation Only program is completely covered by Rustic Pathways, including flights, accommodations, and meals. Luke found that the financial aid benefit made the program more attainable for his family. “It is really important to open up these type of life-changing, perspective-altering programs to everyone, so I applaud Rustic Pathways for what they are doing and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” he said.
 
The group of 10, plus two or three program leaders, will travel to Morocco on June 20 and return to the United States on July 5. The group likely will not meet until they embark on their journey, as they are from all over the U.S., South Africa, France, and Canada.
 
Rustic Pathways’ mission is to create a world where all people are connected through a shared humanity, and all decisions are made with a global perspective.  
 
To learn more about the program, visit the Rustic Pathways blog.

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