Expedition BOLIVIA: La Ruta de Sal EXPEDITION WORLD SERIES

Transcription

1 BOLIVIA: La Ruta de Sal WORLD EXPEDITION SERIES YOUTH APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Expedition

2 The i2p team will visit Salar de Uyuni, a truly unique landmark situated in the South Western Corner of Bolivia. Lying between mountains, volcanoes and lakes, the Salar de Uyuni is home to more than half of the World s lithium reserves. With an area of 10,000 square kilometers and barely one meter of elevation across the entire flat, this incredible area is also used by NASA to calibrate satellites (including those that detect changes in polar ice sheets). EXPEDITION BOLIVIA: LA RUTA DE SAL The fourth stage of the i2p World Expedition Series will take our Experiential Learning Program to the landlocked South American country of Bolivia, a land rich in history, minerals, and incredibly contrasting geography. Four Youth Ambassadors will be selected to join Ray Zahab, along with fellow i2p ambassadors and adventurers. Bolivia is a country that, prior to colonization, was part of the ancient Incan Empire, and its geography varies from the peaks of the Andes in the West to the lowlands of the Amazon Basin to the East. Youth Ambassadors will run an average of a marathon per day for up to one week, a total of 200+ miles in a quest to experience this incredible country as few have ever done before. The Education Program for this expedition will examine the world of chemistry (in conjunction with the United Nations International Year of Chemistry [IYC]) and the role that it plays in the region. The IYC is a worldwide celebration of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind. Under the unifying theme Chemistry Our life, our future IYC 2011 will offer a range of interactive, entertaining and educational activities for all ages, reaching across the globe, with opportunities for public participation at the local, regional, national and international level. Along the way, the i2p team will visit Salar de Uyuni, a truly unique landmark situated in the South Western Corner of Bolivia. Lying between mountains, volcanoes and lakes, the Salar de Uyuni s various layers of salt and water are home to more than half of the World s lithium reserves (which was probably used to make the battery for the computer on which you are reading this right now). With an area of 10,000 square kilometers and barely one meter of elevation variation across the entire surface, the Salar de Uyuni is also one of the most uniformly flattest areas on the planet. This unique feature allows NASA to calibrate satellites (including those that detect changes in polar ice sheets) that monitor global phenomena such as climate change. Seasonal flooding creates a surreal mirror effect, which not only reflects the surrounding landscape, but allows the area to be easily seen from space, and the area is home to a unique Train Graveyard, which contains dozens of abandoned colonial trains. TR YARD E V A R AIN G

3 As with all i2p Youth Ambassador expeditions, the team will push themselves beyond any physical and mental boundaries they have placed upon themselves to discover that they are truly capable of achieving the impossible. EXPEDITION INFO The World Expedition Series is designed to transport students to remote and contrasting locales around the world. To date, the Series has seen young adventurers trek among glaciers containing millions of liters of water in the Canadian Arctic, across the desolate sands of the Sahara, and through the dense and lush jungle of the Amazon. The 2011 Bolivian Expedition will demonstrate once again why the i2p Education Resource program has been touted by Apple Distinguished Educators as truly 21st Century learning, and ground breaking. The i2p web-team will be utilizing streaming video during the expedition to allow students to communicate directly with the adventurers as they traverse this unique landscape. i2p s Educational Coordinator, Dr. Ewan Affleck, will again team up with educators, scientists, and advisers to create a captivating curriculum of educational resource modules which have proven extremely successful for teachers and students alike. The four i2p Youth Ambassadors will be the direct conduits of information back to thousands of students following intently from around the world. After the successful inauguration of the i2p Exploratory Program in the Amazon, the Youth Ambassadors will once again be the lead researchers for an experiential learning program like none other on the planet. The Exploratory Program will see students from around the globe ask questions for which the four Youth Ambassadors will be tasked to find the answers. PERU CHILE BOLIVIA LA PAZ SALAR DE UYUNI ARGENTINA PARAGUAY URAGUAY BRASIL This expedition will see the i2p team pass near mountains and volcanoes, across the world s largest salt flat and an area incredibly rich in minerals, past a train graveyard that is a relic of the past, and visit La Paz, the world s most elevated capital city all the while bringing thousands of students along for the ride! APPLY TODAY to join this incredible expedition! EDUCATE INSPIRE EMPOWER SALAR DE UYUNI

4 YOUTH APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS 1. INTRODUCTION. In May 2011, impossible2possible (i2p) is hosting an expedition to the country of Bolivia, which will combine a team of world-class adventurers with four Youth Ambassadors. The youth delegates will be selected from across North America, subject to set criteria. impossible2possible is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring, educating, and empowering young people to make a positive impact on the global community. We achieve our mission by directly involving youth in extraordinary expeditions, and by communicating the experience of these expeditions to a larger student audience through our web-based education program, school lecture series, and the i2p Extraordinary Acts Program. For more information please visit our website: 2. APPLICATION STEPS. Please follow all instructions when applying to be an i2p World Expedition Youth Ambassador. i. Read the entire World Expedition Application Instructions; ii. Determine if you are eligible to apply (section 3); iii. Identify three references (section 7); and iv. Complete the on-line application form by Sunday, March 13th, ELIGIBILITY. Applicants must meet the following criteria: Youth must be between the ages of 17 and 21 at the time of application (March 13th, 2011). Availability for up to 3 weeks, starting May 11th, Have an interest in, and a willingness to engage in, the i2p Experiential Learning Program, which involves expedition web-based blogs, education exercises and video production, and post-expedition community and school presentations. 4. TIMELINE. The following important dates should be noted: March 13th, 2011 March 17th, 2011 March 18th - May 10th, 2011 May 11th - May 25th, Youth application period closes. Final selection of Youth Ambassadors. Preparation & training. Expedition (for 8 days therein). Note: The final expedition dates will be determined shortly. The expedition itself will last 8 days, but each Youth Ambassador will need to be available for two weeks between the dates of May 11th, 2011 and May 25th, Simply amazing; the people; the place, the adventure have all changed me in infinitely positive ways. I will now live with increased confidence, heightened respect, and a new found love and enjoyment of the great world around me. - Amanda Cobbs-Russell i2p Youth Ambassador Baffin Island Expedition, 2009

5 5. SELECTION CRITERA. Applications will be evaluated on the following merits: Willingness to participate in the i2p Experiential Learning Program. Demonstrating a passion for adventure, education, and athletics. Keen interest in stretching the limits of their physical and mental capacity. Keen interest in learning about the science, culture, and history of the land through which the expedition travels. Demonstrating an interest in communicating the experience and knowledge accrued on the expedition with their community/school. Deemed to have the physical and mental capacity to complete the expedition. Not possessing a medical condition or disability that would preclude their ability to complete the expedition. 6. EXPEDITION DETAILS. Location: Plurinational State of Bolivia, South America. Team: The i2p World Expedition Series Expedition Bolivia team will include Ray Zahab, and several other i2p ambassadors and adventurers. The breadth of experience and wealth of knowledge they bring to the expedition ensures that it be conducted with the greatest care and prudence. Food and Equipment: Food and equipment will be supplied by i2p. Cost: The expedition is paid for by sponsors and supporters of i2p. Youth Ambassadors will be responsible for minor personal gear, and incidental expenses. For clarification please contact Bob Cox at bcox@impossible2possible.com. Medical Support: A physician with years of experience providing medical care in northern Canada, and with a successful career as an endurance athlete will be a member of the expedition team. Insurance: The i2p World Expedition Series is fully insured. i2p has a full scope of expedition medical insurance and the services of the local Bolivian Health Service will be accessed if required. For details, please contact Bob Cox at bcox@impossible2possible.com. 7. REFERENCES. All youth applicants are expected to furnish 3 references. See on-line application form for details. 8. COMPLETING APPLICATION. All applicants must complete the online i2p World Expedition Series - Stage 4 Youth Application in its entirety. It can be found on our website ( or at the following hyperlink: 9. TERMS AND CONDITIONS. All individuals who are selected for Expedition Bolivia will be required to print, sign (and witness), and fax or mail the TERMS AND CONDITIONS - which describe the legal obligation of i2p and its staff to youth members joining the expedition - to i2p. 10. INTERVIEW. Prospective candidates may be subject to an interview by the i2p staff during the final evaluation process. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL APPLICANTS!