This past summer, the Gresham Redevelopment Commission approved Plaza del Sol ? a series of new spaces for neighborhood gathering and recreation – at the former Fred Meyer site in the Rockwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Partnering with area businesses and community members, students from Portland Lutheran School (740 SE 182nd) served as part of the team who pioneered this project on September 18th. Students painted a colorful solar system mural, picked up trash, and chatted with other neighborhood volunteers. Their participation in this project is part of the school?s goal to help students ?transform their world,? and all high school students are required to participate in a minimum of 20 hours of community service each year to show their commitment to this mission.

Plaza del Sol was just the first of several planned steps to reinvent the Rockwood neighborhood, and is a joint program of the Gresham Redevelopment Commission and the Urban Renewal Task Force. Five years ago, the City of Gresham bought the old Fred Meyer building, razed it, and began a planning process to turn it into a vibrant urban center, not unlike the Pearl District. When the economy began its free-fall, those plans were put on hold – actually cancelled. Since then the property has been sitting vacant, adding to the blight in the area. Constituents of Rockwood decided that something needed to be done with the space – even if it is temporary. Plaza del Sol was born from this discussion. The painting that PLS students contributed was part of the first step of creating a positive gathering spot for the community. Plaza del Sol will eventually include a walking trail, wild flower meadow, basketball courts and a food cart area.

Koty Zelinka, English teacher at Portland Lutheran, arranged the tour primarily to share her inherent love of travel. She also notes how it serves as a unique way to extend the classroom beyond its four walls and make learning memorable for a lifetime. Travel is also imperative to reach a more global understanding. ?While a large number of students from other countries travel abroad to better understand the world, far fewer American students do the same. International educational tours not only introduce students to the world, but serve as stepping stones for many students who study abroad for longer periods, and even live and work abroad.? Many students on the trip vowed to do exactly this, such as senior Kirsten Maier: ?One of the reasons I chose my college [St. Olaf] was for the strength of its study abroad programs.?

Younger college-bound students also benefit greatly from such experiences, particularly as they look for ways to make their college applications stand out from the crowd. Those with international experiences are catching the attention of college admissions boards across the country. In fact, when Harvard University announced a curriculum revision with internationalism as a new focus, Dean William Kirby said, ?If you want to study at Harvard, you should have a passport.? International educational travel not only opens students? eyes to the world, it adds weight and life to their college applications.

Educators interested in learning more about international travel with students can go to EF?s website: http://www.eftours.com/.