Speakers Bureau
Inspirational and motivational, Me to We Speakers will tailor a passionate keynote to your event.
Build A Village
BlackBerry Build A Village Awards Program
Your chance to travel to Kenya or India during the summer of 2013 begins here!
Program Overview.
BlackBerry® cares about connecting young people to global experiences and has partnered with Free The Children and Me to We to give 50 students from the Waterloo region the opportunity to visit Free The Children communities in Kenya and India during the summer of 2013.
Recipients of this award will travel overseas and:
- Meet and learn from the local elders and community leaders.
- Walk with the “mamas” to draw water.
- Help build a school or clean water project.
- Develop leadership and interpersonal skills.
- Bring the inspiration they will gain from this experience back to the Waterloo region.
Read about the BlackBerry® Build A Village Awards Program in the news.
How to apply.
This award honors youth who are interested in learning more about the world and who want to make a positive difference in their community and in communities overseas.
Thank you so much for your interest in the BlackBerry® Build A Village Awards Program.
About youth volunteer trips.
A Me to We trip opens a world of learning, adventure and inspiration. You’ll volunteer alongside local communities, develop friendships to last a lifetime, become immersed in new cultures and see fascinating places. Best of all, each trip supports community development through the work of Free The Children.
Watch the Trips Video
Watch the Safety Video
What people are saying.
“The Me To We Trips made our trip to Kenya so easy and enjoyable! From the moment we stepped off the plane and until our return home, everything was taken care of.”
- Steve Farber
FAQs
1) Who is eligible for this award?
To be eligible for this award, applicants must be a student between ages 14-18 and currently attending a school in the Waterloo Region.
Students must be available to travel during the summer of 2013 and submit all required application documents (including completed application form, nomination form and personal description).
2) What are the criteria for students being selected?
In addition to the eligibility criteria listed above, students will be selected based on the following criteria: leadership potential, ability to give back to the Waterloo region, traits of initiative, work ethic, empathy, maturity, and a desire to care for/create change in the Waterloo region.
3) When can students apply?
Applications are currently being accepted . The application deadline is January 14, 2013.
4) Does a student have to be nominated in order to apply?
In order for your submission to be considered complete you will need to submit both your completed Application and Reference Form. Your reference could be a teacher, mentor, community/group leader, coach, employer, etc. Be sure to choose someone who knows you and your strengths well. This person cannot be a parent or relative.
Through the online application process you will be asked for your reference’s email address, if you do not provide their contact email you will be required to email your reference asking them to complete the online reference form.
5) How does a student apply?
In order to apply, students must complete and submit the online application form. This form includes contact information and a personal description piece. In addition, students must have an online reference form submitted on their behalf. The application and reference forms can be found online through the application system.
6) Are there costs that are not included in the BlackBerry® Build A Village Award Program?
Certain travel and incidental costs are not covered by this awards program. Each student who receives a scholarship is responsible for covering his/her own costs for certain incidentals including passport, visa, vaccinations, insurance and spending money. Me to We will work with students to help them fundraise for these costs, should they become a barrier to travel.
7) How will students find out if they have won?
Students will be notified by phone or e-mail in March of 2013 if they have been selected for the BlackBerry® Build A Village Awards Program.
8) As a teacher, can I recommend more than one student?
Yes, teachers may provide a reference for as many deserving students as they like. Teachers must complete one reference form per student.
9) Do students get to select their country of travel?
Students may indicate their country of choice (Kenya or India) on the application form. While we will try our best to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee that students will travel to their country of preference.
10) Do students get to select their dates of travel?
The BlackBerry® Build A Village Awards Program trip to Kenya will take place between July 31 – August 21, 2013 and trip to India will take place between July 30 – August 21, 2013. Students may indicate their preferred date of travel on the application form. While we will try our best to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee that students will travel to their country of preference.
11) Our school funded the building of a school with Free The Children in Kenya or India. Will the student get to visit this school on the trip?
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that a student will be able to visit a particular school during their trip since our volunteers are traveling to communities that are most in need of help on a project. The schools and communities that students will be travelling to are similar to the schools and communities that students have supported in their fundraising efforts.
