HARLINGEN — Ginger Bennett graduated valedictorian Friday night, but she already has a broad range of experiences.
“I do a lot of traveling, so I get to see a lot of the planet,” said Ginger, 17, who just graduated valedictorian from Early College High School. She’s volunteering at Sea Turtle Inc. and she’s planning to study environmental science at the University of Texas at Austin. However, her proactive approach to environmental causes has already reached beyond her borders.
Last year, Ginger traveled to Peru with an organization called Walking Tree Travel.
“It was kind of like a service trip,” Ginger said. “For two weeks we were building a wall around an elementary school because animals kept getting in and messing with the kids during recess time. That was like volunteer related.”
And there were plenty of other opportunities to see the country as well.
“We got to see Machu Picchu, which was really cool, and the Amazon jungle,” she said.
Quite a trip for a 16-year-old girl — but not the first one abroad. The year before she went to Europe with People to People International Student Travel Programs. Its mission is to connect student travelers to new cultures and friendships by introducing them to life-changing, worldwide experiences that expand their minds.
This trip took Ginger to Europe — at age 15.
“I went to Italy, France and Spain,” she said. “When I went to Italy, each of us got to stay with a local family. That was in Marciano. The family that I was with, they had a daughter my age. She was taking English classes and I had a translation app on my phone.”
The trip also took her to Nice and other parts of Europe, compiling rich memories and experiences which will always be with her.
Throughout all this, she has repeatedly amazed her family, but not exactly surprised them.
“The travel has taken us by surprise because she’s just so brave,” said her mother Debra Bennett. “What 16-year-old girl goes to Peru for 30 days?”
