Adventures in Citizenship Award Recipient Lila Kloppenburg

Posted by Kevin Webb 
on Sep 24, 2015
 
Adventures in Citizenship Award Recipient Lila Kloppenburg
Each year, our club selects a high school student to attend the "Adventures in Citizenship" program in Ottawa sponsored by the Rotary club of Ottawa.  This year Lila Kloppenburg, pictured above with club Treasurer Neil Holt, was the successful candidate.  She is currently in Grade 12 at Banting Secondary School and is planning to attend university next year to attain a nursing degree.  She spoke very highly of the Adventures in Citizenship program and was very appreciative of the opportunity our club provided. 
 
The Adventures in Citizenship program provides a unique opportunity for a selected group of young Canadians to come together and gain a better understanding of our country.  Through meetings with political leaders, senior officials and others, they learn a great deal about the workings of our democratic institutions.  Through meeting one another and having discussions among themselves, they learn to appreciate the diversity of Canada and the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship.
 

The program evolves from year to year in response to the changing political agenda of the country and to new opportunities. The following is a brief description of a typical program:

Day 1: The Adventure begins with introductions and our opening plenary session with a keynote speaker and a mock election for the program’s Prime Minister is announced. After lunch, the Adventurers will enjoy a tour of the city and its many historical sites, followed by a visit to a national museum. The first day will end in the Province of Quebec with a French Canadian traditional dinner and music provided by a group of Quebec fiddlers.

Day 2: The students will spend the morning in discussions with the Speaker and staff members of the House of Commons and tour the Parliament Buildings. They prepare for election style debates later in the day. The afternoon program will include an opportunity to meet with Foreign and Canadian Diplomats from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The evening ends with an informal supper and an Adventurer run talent show highlighting the student’s diverse talents!

Day 3: Students spend the morning discussing the importance of social engagement; an important topic for their afternoon election! They will interact with local Rotaractors as well as national and international leaders in social justice. After lunch, there will be an interactive presentation on voting, human rights, and peace and conflict resolution. The day will close with the announcement of the Programs’ Prime Minister, followed by a dinner/dance.

Day 4: The Adventurers will attend a special sitting of the Citizenship Court where they will have the privilege of participating in and witnessing new Canadians receiving their citizenship. The program will close with a farewell lunch where our guest speakers are the Adventurers themselves (the Prime Minister, plus representatives from each province and territory). The students are joined by our host families and other dignitaries for our final farewell.

2015 Adventures in Citizenship "Class" - May 3 - 6, 2015

For more information on the program go to:  http://www.rotaryottawa.com/SitePage/adventures-in-citizenship