The Power of One Project

Fostering the idea that one person can make a difference to a family, a village and a world.

The Power of One program is in its third year and has touched the lives of many individuals around the world. International students come together in Thailand each year to volunteer on an elephant sanctuary, teach Thai students English, make life-long friends and so much more!

Read on to find out more information, including how you can support this program or become a participant!

2007 Photos | Program Overview | Program Objectives | Program Application

2007 Photos

The 2007 Power of One Program was documented and photographed by Shane and Michael, two of the programs participants (who also created this site!). Here are a selection of photographs from the project to give you an idea of the experiences you'll encounter on this journey of a lifetime!

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Program Overview

An International Cross-cultural Exchange Program With Elephants, Students and Adults.

Can you imagine yourself: Stepping on a plane, flying to the other side of the world, meeting up with an international group of students, and having an experience of a lifetime?

Can you imagine yourself: Hand feeding a giant elephant, bathing him in the river, caring for a baby and having a couple dozen of these gentle giants right in your front yard?

Can you imagine yourself: Immersed in new cultures, learning about the elephants, visiting local schools and forging world wide friendships that can last forever?

If you can imagine this for yourself, then you will want to join this group of young adventurers-ambassadors as we volunteer, travel, learn, experience and have a lot of fun.

• WHY: We believe that the time is now for bold and innovative ways to unite our world. We believe that our precious Earth is indeed, a global village. We believe our young people care about the future, want to confidently take their place in it as the new thinkers and strive for peace and understanding. We believe that the Asian elephant carries the heartbeat of the planet and to protect them and their natural habitat is important.
  
  We also believe that in putting these gentle giants together with our young people from all parts of the world, an alchemy of the Spirit can take place as we discover our common themes, needs and values, and blend our individual cultures as one. Through connecting with the elephants, our students will connect with each other.



• WHERE: Two weeks in beautiful Thailand, the world’s most welcoming and friendly destination. From the rainforests of the North, to the beautiful beaches of the South, Thailand’s gentleness embraces you into its beauty.



• SETTING: Our global group will use a model Elephant Sanctuary as a “stage” for this program. Here we will learn about the Asian elephant, learn about their care and understand why it is important to protect this precious treasure. Nowhere else in the world can you have hands-on experience with the elephants like in Thailand.
  
  After six days at the sanctuary, we will travel to another village near the beach where we will interact with Thai students in their school and in the local community. Here we will learn about customs, traditional dance and music and engage in activities designed for cross-cultural exchange.



• WHO: Students, ages 14 and above, from all over the world are invited to participate. Adults are invited to participate as support to the program and act as our elders. We can guarantee you an amazing journey.
  
  We anticipate participation of students from Japan, Vietnam, Iran, USA, Myanmar, Thailand and other countries yet to confirm.



• WHAT: Visiting awesome places: the palace in Bangkok, the colorful floating market, exquisite Buddhist temples, a hill tribe village and school in the North, Elephant Heaven where the elephants can roam free, and some of the places where the Thai teenagers socialize.



• EXPERIENCES: hand feeding, bathing, learning about and caring for the elephants, river rafting, ocean swimming, visiting a typical Thai school, eating traditional foods, working with different currency, hearing and learning new languages, and discovering how much everyone from around the world has in common.
  
  Community service hours can be earned for time spent caring for the elephants and teaching English to Thai children. Receiving credit for travel journals may also be an option.



• WHEN: December 27, 2008 leaving Thailand, January 14, 2009



• COST: $1,550 INCLUDES: All hotels, sanctuary housing, ground transportation, two domestic flights, most meals, all activities.



• NOT INCLUDED: International airfare, (we can help arrange this.) tips for guides and drivers, some meals and travel insurance, required by the sanctuary.



• DEPOSIT: $350 ASAP
  
  Please contact: bluestarofhope@yahoo.com

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Program Objectives

Fostering the idea that one person can make a difference to a family, a village, a country and a world.

By bringing our young people together as a group, with a common purpose of service, learning and cultural exchange, we unite our world. Our students represent the global community. We will use a model Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand and the Chaikasem Wittaya School in Thailand as the settings for this program.

Specifically, "The Power of One" program has four purposes:

• To bridge world cultures through activities designed to explore cross-cultural similarities, build leadership skills, learn about ecological sustainability, propose creative solutions to local/global issues, and develop peacekeeping skills as world citizens.


• To learn about the characteristics, endangerment and daily care of the Asian elephant and why it is important to protect this precious treasure.


• Through service learning (volunteering at the elephant sanctuary and at the school) and uniting our international group of students, the participants will see themselves in a larger context of life, gain a world view, build confidence to find their place in the world and know they have one, cultivate peaceful understanding, compassion, acceptance and appreciate the interconnectedness of all people.


• To instill cohesiveness in our group of global students, to have a lot of fun, to stretch themselves, discover and experience.

A Unique Service Learning Experience

Among the many experiences of the Power of One program, especially important is the service learning aspect. Service learning is a form of experiential learning where students and mentors collaborate with local communities, schools, projects and programs. Through volunteering and participating with various projects, our students simultaneously gain knowledge and skills, advance personal development and expand their global perspectives. This ultimately strengthens connections between people, cultures and develops communication skills, critical thinking skills and tolerance.

We see that so many young people are unsure of “what they want to do.” Exposure to possibilities and ideas through meaningful service, gives students more clarity about their own personal abilities, goals and interests. It gives them a sense of contribution, which leads to a stronger sense of connection and that they are a part of the global community, and in fact, vital to the global community. This builds self esteem and empowers our young people to find their place in this ever changing world.

Here are some of the ways our students will volunteer during the program:

• Working with the Elephants!
  
  We spend 8 days volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand. The founder, Lek Chailert is a model of how one person can make a difference in this world. She was voted “hero of Asia” by Time magazine a couple years ago and has been featured in many documentaries for her tireless work in protecting the Asian elephant.
  
  While at the Elephant Park we engage in many activities necessary for the functioning of the park, home to 33 elephants. Our duties might include picking up elephant dung and using it for adobe building, cutting grass, making fire breaks, planting grass, cooking meals for about 75 volunteers and park staff, cleaning up the park site, preparing food for the elephants and then hands on feeding the elephants, bathing the elephants and miscellaneous projects serving and helping the elephants and the staff.



• Volunteering at Chaikesem Wittaya School in the south of Thailand.
  
  We spend 1 or 2 days at the school from which many of our Thai students come. We will help teach English, through a variety of activities, to 150 students for “English Camp.” After the project, as a group, we present a performance to the school staff, distinguished guests and to parents.



• Volunteering at Ban Hin Turn School.
  
  We spend one day at this school for small children, age 3-12. This school is on the border with Burma, where many children come from refugee families. Their opportunities are minimal. We interact with the children, teaching simple games, speaking English and doing art projects. We also collect from our home countries, books and school supplies to donate to this school.



• Volunteering at Wat Kao Mai Rueak, a special Buddhist temple in the south of Thailand.
  
  The head monk of this temple will visit us many times throughout this journey and will have given us the traditional Thai Buddhist blessing for this project. Visiting the temple is our opportunity to “give back.”
  
  One way we do that is a conservation project. The temple is located on a lovely beach and unfortunately a lot of debris from the fishing boats off shore ends up on this beach. One of our projects is to do beach clean up.
  
  
  We also help with any other temple project that might be going on at the time.


• Volunteering by interacting with our Thai students who are a part of the Power of One program, traveling as an international group for two and a half weeks.
  
  Our American and European students help our Thai students with English throughout the journey. We have many activities in our curriculum that encourage using English for our Thai students.

Helping at the Elephant Sanctuary

The Asian elephant and its natural habitat, the rain forest, are both endangered. The elephants belong not only to certain countries, but to us all. They represent the conscious awareness as to how fragile our environment and its inhabitants are.

As an example, we will visit one elephant by the name of Matola. She was being used for illegal logging when on the way home from a days work, she stepped on a land mine and lost her leg. She courageously walked with her mahout (trainer) six miles for help. This one elephant brings to world attention the horrors of war, the loss of the forests, the disrespect for our environment and the potential loss of a planetary treasure, the elephant.

Nowhere else in the world can one have hands-on experience with the magnificent elephants like in Thailand. Everyone falls in love with them and through these gentle giants, our students will connect with each other.


Teaching English at Chaikasem Wittaya School

Our group of international students will have an opportunity to see and interact with a school setting in another country, Thailand. They will engage with the Thai students in speaking English and participating in activities designed for cultural exchange. They will spend time in formal classroom settings and they will go out into the local community together.

Throughout the whole trip, our international students will travel with Thai students who also participate in the program. We will engage in cultural activities together, help them practice their English, as well as learn some Thai and other languages spoken by participating students.

Our student ambassadors will have an opportunity to recognize that their own unique skills and contributions could have global impact, hence, "The Power of One."


Experience Thai Culture

Thailand is a beautiful country, and in addition to volunteering and service learning activities, our students will be able to see many of the sights of Thailand near the places we visit. We will visit Buddhist temples, take part in ceremonies, visit night markets, enjoy a traditional Thai dinner and dance, and much more, not to mention what we'll learn from working with the Thai students themselves.

Experiences include hand feeding, bathing, learning about and caring for the elephants, river rafting, ocean swimming, visiting a typical Thai school, eating traditional foods, working with different currency, hearing and learning new languages, and discovering how much everyone from around the world has in common.

We believe it is very important for the youth of our world to get out there and experience foreign cultures, and realize that we are not so different after all.


Make Lifelong Friends!

Students participating in this program will meet other students from around the world, and have the chance to live and work with them throughout their stay. We will work together, participate in fun activities together, and make friendships that will last a lifetime. Now is a time for our world to come together, and the way to do this is through our youth. Participating in this program is a great way to make friends from all over the world!


Our student ambassadors will have an opportunity to recognize that their own unique skills and contributions could have global impact, hence, "The Power of One."


Become a Mentor!

Adult mentors are vital to this program. Mentors bring their gifts, talents, wisdom and experience to our youth. Our mentors support the program goals and activities and help guide our student ambassadors. Our mentors are a model for the ideals that the program strives to foster in our students.

Like our students, the mentors will also have a journey of a lifetime. If you are interested in becoming a part of this unique volunteer experience, please fill out our free online application to be considered. We hope to hear from you!


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Program Application

Does the Power of One program seem a good fit for you? Fill out this free application for more information about Power of One, and to see if you are eligible to participate. We'd love for you to join us!

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