THEAMBASSADOR

THEAMBASSADOR

Volume 2 • Edition 4DECEMBER 2012

1BACK FROM BOTSWANA

A first-person account of i2P’s most comprehensive Expedition to-date.

12

1THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

2

3

5

6

7

10

13

FOUNDERS’ MESSAGE

Bob & Ray are awe inspired once again, and wish you a Happy Holiday season.

i2P HIGHLIGHTS

i2P contributes in a big way at the Sears Great Canadian Relay to End Kids Cancer, a reminder about the 2011 Annual Report, and announcing Utah as the location for the next i2P Youth Expedition!

THE GLOBAL PARTICIPATION

Checking in with the School Project i2P supported during 2010’s Expedition Amazon!

OFF THE i2P BOOKSHELF

Featuring Ray’s latest best-sellingbook, as well as “Running on Empty”, by Marshall Ulrich.

YOUTH AMBASSADORREPORT

Saskia Vaisey recaps Expedition Africa on behalf of the incredibleYouth Ambassadors.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Matt Howe tells us what it takes to deliver the Education Program to students around the world.

i2PROFILE

Catching up with Amanda from Baffin, Blake & Nathaniel Crossley, and Transforming Tomorrow with Transamerica.

2THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

FOUNDERS’

MESSAGE

You know those moments in life where you just can’t believe what is happening in front of your eyes? Those times where you ask yourself, “Is this for real?” Well, from the time we set down in Botswana to the time we departed that was a reoccurring thought in our minds. This was i2P’s 12th project in 5 years and two of the many constants put in front of us each and every time are the natural beauty of our planet and the power of human resiliency.

In preparation for the expedition we had all researched the Kalihari Desert and the country of Botswana, but landing and witnessing the raw natural beauty of the landscape, the animals, and the incredibly generous people drove home a point we try and share at i2P that there is an inspiring world out there “beyond our own four walls” and no matter where you are in the world, the world has something to offer.

Again, we brought a Youth Ambassador team who thought they understood their physical and mental limits, but as is the case on every youth expedition those boundaries were shattered! As the team trudged through ridiculous terrain, battling incredibly hot conditions they bonded together to achieve the common goal. The perseverance displayed by each and every member left us in awe of their dedication and abilities to overcome.

In this edition of The Ambassador we asked Saskia Vaisey to recap her account of Expedition Botswana and her words echo a sentiment that is common among Youth Ambassadors. We hope you enjoy her story, because it embodies the message i2P wants to share with everyone around the world.

It’s that time of year when family and friends come together and we want to wish everyone safe and Happy Holidays and we look forward to bringing in The New Year!

HIGHLIGHTS

3THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

THE SEARS GREAT CANADIANRELAY TO END KIDS CANCER

On October 13th, 2012, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Team - comprised of Captain Connie Lebrun, Michael Stashin, Trish Liddle, Jordan Thoms, Gilles Lebrun, Steven Thomas and Mike Herzog - arrived at the start line of the Sears Great Canadian Relay to End Kids Cancer starting line unaware of the impact that the next 12 hours would have on their lives.

The Relay (http://thesearsgreatcanadianrun.ca/?id=3) is a 100km event from Ottawa, ON to Montabello, QC complete with 17 exchange points. The CHEO Team did an incredible job fundraising and collectively contributed more than $17,000 to the event! This is incredible; well done to everyone!

In addition to Team CHEO’s accolades, Steven Thomas of GoodGuysTri (someone who has graced our pages several times over the past year) turned in yet another incredible effort. While he covered the 100km course ‘solo’, he would be the first to tell you that it was truly a team effort and that without the support he received from friends and family it would not have been possible.

In his own words, after completing the Ironman Mont Tremblant he felt an “emptiness” and wanted to do something more meaningful. “For the next two weeks I searched for what that emptiness was and repeatedly found myself coming back to the same questions: “why am I doing these events, what am I or anyone else benefiting from them?“. It was roughly around that same time when I discovered the Sears Great Canadian Run… The Relay To End Cancer! This was it, this was my chance to utilize my passion for endurance sports in a way that mattered, in a way that would make a difference… this was the answer to my emptiness. Having never run further than a marathon, and having no fundraising experience, I wanted to do something that would get people emotionally engaged. The goal I set was to run the entire 100km distance in hopes of raising $10,000 for kids cancer … and I had only 5 weeks to succeed!”.

Steve’s effort was captured by a film crew from Captura Video (http://capturavideo.com) and a documentary about the day will be released soon.In the meantime, Steve gave an interview with iRunmagazine about the event that can be heard in its entirety here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzjXYgJ-Ftc.

THE TEAM SUCCESSFULLY COVERED 100km, AND COMBINED TO RAISE MORE THAN $17,000 FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF EASTERN ONTARIO! AMAZING WORK!

HIGHLIGHTS

4THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

Stay tuned forfurther details!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE 2011 i2P ANNUAL REPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING, DOWNLOADING, AND SHARING ON OUR WEBSITE!

>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PDF VERSION.

IT IS PACKED WITH INFORMATION ON OURPROGRAMS, THE FANTASTIC PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP OUR TEAM, AND SOME TRULY INCREDIBLE EVENTS THAT OCCURED IN 2011.

IT IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR SOMEONEWHO IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MOREABOUT HOW WE ARE INSPIRING, EDUCATING,AND EMPOWERING THE WORLD AROUND US.

UTAH 2013 ANNOUNCED AS THE NEXT YOUTH EXPEDITION!

For the 7th stage of the impossible2Possible World Expedition Series a Youth Ambassador team will attempt to run a marathon a day for 7 consecutive days across one of the most remote and beautiful regions in the United States of America! The i2P team will have the rare opportunity to visit the interior of The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) located in Southern Utah.

As has been the case over the last two years, i2P is proud to partner with Simon Fraser University (SFU) on the creation and development of an engaging, challenge-based Learning Program. Along with SFU, impossible2Possible has partnered with the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to ensure that students receive a program that not only educates, but also inspires and empowers all at the same time!

incredible dedication and hard labour by the indigenous people themselves. Many communities in the area now have a proper place to learn - a school that they adore! In addition, the community recently received their first computer! A traditional ceremony was performed giving a heart felt thanks to the i2P Team and all those who helped make their dream come true.

By: Adriana Rossi

Adriana was a member of Expedition Amazon, and witnessed firsthand the impact that this school was going to have on the local community.

In the fall of 2010, the i2P Team trekked hundreds of kilometers through the Brazilian Amazon Jungle stopping to visit with various indigenous communities along the way while thousands of students from all over the world followed along virtually. The goal was not only to educate global citizens about biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest and the factors that are leading to its disappearance but the goal was also for students to collectively raise money to build a permanent school in the region of Taquara, in Flona do Tapajós.

The school would also serve as an eco-tour facility to help support the local economy. At the time, the school was nothing more than a few huts with no walls and it was flooded half of the year due to the seasonal downpours. Taquara was in need of a school to be situated on higher ground; one that had walls to withstand the rain. While i2P was there, some of the local people confided in the team that although they were thrilled and honoured that we were willing to help them by raising money for their project, they were skeptical that the school would ever be a reality.

Following through however is just what i2P and everyone and every school associated with us did. The community captured the hearts of many and in 2011, after much fundraising and donations, the project was completed with

Global ParticipationTHE

5THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

THE NEW TAQUARA SCHOOL. A PLACE TO LEARN,SHARE, AND DISPLAY STUDENT WORK!

BUILDING WALLS TOGETHER. THE POWER OF COMMUNITY!

YOUNG STUDENTS READY TO LEARN!

BOOKSHELFOff of the i2P

6THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

There is an underdog in all of us: an insecurity we confuse as a truth. The story begins with “Old Ray,” self-described as “last to be picked,” who identifies with anything other than being an athlete. In 1999, after some personal losses, Zahab decides to change his ways and “New Ray” vows to start over with a fresh perspective of the world and of himself. Although Pitt’s words provide a multi-sensory depiction of the various extreme locations in which Zahab would eventually run, the book is not intended to focus on geography, travel, nor the sport of marathon running; it is an account of how a single person can overhaul their identity with perseverance and personal reflection. After three decades of writing, Pitt easily and aptly articulates a distinction educators aim for all youth to understand: interests do not define people, they are merely tools through which people can define themselves. - Review by Kim Siwak (http://bit.ly/REvBpV)

WHAT GRANT IS READING THIS MONTH: BEAUTIFUL RUINS, BY JESS WALTER - A STORY ABOUT THE POWER OF CLINGING TO “IMPROBABLE DREAMS.”

117 marathons, 52 days, 32 pairs of shoes, 57 years old: A fascinating glimpse inside the mind of an ultramarathon runner and the inspirational saga of his phenomenal journey running across America. The ultimate endurance athlete, Marshall Ulrich has run more than 100 foot races averaging over 100 miles each, completed 12 expedition-length adventure races, and ascended the Seven Summits - including Mount Everest - all on his first attempt. Yet his run from California to New York- the equivalent of running two marathons and a 10K every day for nearly two months straight - proved to be his most challenging effort yet. Ulrich clocked the 3rd fastest transcontinental crossing to date and set new records in multiple divisions. In Running on Empty, he shares the gritty backstory, including brushes with death, run-ins with the police, and the excruciating punishments he endured at the mercy of his maxed-out body. Ulrich also reached back nearly 30 years to when the death of the woman he loved drove him to begin running - and his dawning realization that he felt truly alive only when pushed to the limits.

- Review from Amazon.com.

YOUTHAMBASSADORREPORT

7THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

We travelled through many parts of Botswana during our two weeks in the country: exploring the Kalahari Desert, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan and the Okavango Delta. To reach our different running regions, we bumped across rugged dirt roads in the backs of open-sided pick-up trucks refitted with seats. This conspicuous convoy attracted attention from excited kids and curious farmers alike in every village we passed. We grinned and waved back. Our guides cooked us dinner over coals each night, usually serving up a variation of beef and butternut squash. Meanwhile, we set up our circle of tents in grassy fields. We crossed camp carefully, wary of scorpions, camel spiders and cow patties. Without showers, we all became progressively smellier in solidarity. Sweat formed patterns of crystallized salt on our black shirts: abstract African art. Still, along with everyone else, I learned to appreciate the stark and stunning expanses of Botswana, which are so different from any of our North American homes.

Throughout the day, we shared laughs, reflections and intimate moments at our bush toilets, such that the group of us formed an immediate family of sorts. We marveled at Ray’s stories of running the Sahara and Ferg’s descriptions of Badwater. Peter, a CBC broadcaster from Yellowknife, demonstrated arctic agility games. Others discussed their studies of policing or human kinetics. Though we each followed divergent paths through our lives, we shared a common passion for life, learning, service and sport. The amazing experiences, positivity and energy of everyone motivated me ever more as the expedition continued. The ultra-marathon challenged us both mentally and physically, teaching us each more about ourselves than we ever anticipated. The run began in the Kalahari along

It’s been less than a month since I ran along the rural roads of Botswana but it feels like yesterday. Every detail of this incredible expedition is vivid in my memory. Our two running groups crossed a combined total of 367 kilometers, covering more than a marathon a day each. We also communicated with faraway classrooms about the region’s water issues. The challenge of running such a distance, the harshness of the arid landscape, the dedication of everyone involved and the ultimate joy we shared has influenced me more than any other single experience in my life so far. They taught me the power of the human spirit.

By: Saskia Vaisey

THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS ON THE ROAD TO MOSU.

8THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

The videoconferences we held with schools became some of our favorite moments. We all crowded around a computer before dinner for our set calls. Across the diverse and sometimes random questions students submitted, we could sense their strong engagement. Their inquiries encouraged us along our run and helped us formulate our own answers as to both why we were there and what this experience meant to us. During these live conversations, we tried to impart some of what i2P taught us in turn, to pay it forward and inspire them.

a sandy road overgrown with spiny plants and bordered by scraggly trees. Ray instructed us on how to run more efficiently in the sand, which saved our Achilles tendons. Yet granules still found their way through the mesh of our shoes, forcing pressure blisters beneath several toenails. The thorns scratched our legs into maps of crisscrossed lines. Beneath the expanse of an uninterrupted blue sky and 40°C heat, one Ambassador fainted. The doc helped her recover. Our muscles became increasingly sore. But the difficulties, in the end, are what made it worthwhile.We stuck together as a team and as runners. We supported each other through pain and success, which bonded us as friends and propelled all of us further than we would have been able to go alone. I distinctly remember the last stretch of our longest day, at 51 kilometers. After a grueling physical push, we arrived at Kubu Island: a small oasis of ancient baobab trees rising out of the vast and barren saltpan. There, we ended our run for the day, exhausted but elated. I rested in the shade of these astounding trees beside the other Youth Ambassadors. The fading sun painted us as silhouettes against an orange horizon. In that moment, I realized that it didn’t matter what my body felt like; I could keep going much further as long as my mind wanted it enough. Limits really are in your head.

Throughout the expedition, we communicated these discoveries and the educational content we covered to the thousands of students that followed us from all over the world. We uploaded videos, wrote blogs and held videoconferences. In this way, we explained how water shortages impact the area: the adaptations of plants and animals, the conflicts that arise between cattle farmers and wildlife and the changing basic necessities of people. To our amazement, we managed to visit one of the last groups of nomadic San Bushmen still living a traditional lifestyle in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. We shared our reactions to this contact as well. The resilience of these plant species and these people against the trials of sand and drought impressed me enormously. To better express these thoughts, the education team was very helpful in showing us how to tell a story and often stayed up late into the night under the glow of headlamps to finish editing. Thank you!

YOUTH AMBASSADOR REPORT

LIVE VIDEOCONFERENCING WITH STUDENT PEERS.

THE EDUCATION TEAM EDITING FOOTAGE.

YOUTH AMBASSADOR REPORTI’m so grateful to have been given this opportunity at eighteen and to be able to apply this new understanding to the rest of my life. I2P did not give a destination to my future, but it gave purpose and conviction to my wander-ings in the expanse of the great unknown I still inhabit. It let me know I already possess the most powerful weapon I need for any battle: mental will. I only hope be able to keep sharing this experience with students; to help other youth see that they can do anything they set their minds and muscles to achieving; to convince them, as I have been convinced, that the impossible is entirely possible.

After the running and education ended, we went on Safari for two days in the Okavango Delta to close our time in Botswana (click the link below for a recap video!). This experience showed us what a difference the availability of water makes in terms of animal density. We went from following nothing but millipedes and springbok over the course of the earlier days to snap-ping pictures of Africa’s iconic wildlife every few hundred meters. We spotted elephants, giraffes, hippos and even Pumbaa (so cute)! Most remarkably, we stared in awe as a mama lion stalked, killed and ate a baby impala. I’m not just speaking for myself when I say that the Safari ended the expedition on an extremely high note.

Though I’m now back in rainy Vancouver, Kalahari sand still sifts out of my shoes when I run. It returned with me along with the countless lessons I learned from i2P. The run, the land, the animals, and the people showed me that prosperity is not a function of one’s environment or origin, but of one’s personal commitment to keep going. I’m not a professional athlete. Six months ago, the furthest race I’d ever completed was 12.5 kilometers. Five years ago, I was a Make-A-Wish kid battling Lupus. Today, I’m in full remission and I’ve run further than I ever dreamed I could. That’s because I took this risk; one so big that I genuinely feared I would fail. Yet I didn’t fail - thanks to the support of my team and because of an inner strength I never before knew I possessed.

9THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

APPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT i2P YOUTH EXPEDITION ARE OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 7th!

APPLY TODAY!

https://vimeo.com/53756247

http://i2p.force.com/YouthExpeditionUtah

see the video!

10THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

BEHINDTHE SCENES

wITH: MATT HOwE, EDUCATION PROgRAM COORDINATOR

Have you ever wondered what happens when a school signs up to be a

part of an expedition with i2P? A lot of pieces go into this process, but typically (thanks to all of our incredible volunteers and committed teachers) all of them fall into place fairly seamlessly. We place a high value on our partnerships with schools as the students and teachers provide us with insight, feedback, motivation and, of course, their success stories which is what fuels our passion for what we do.

Because i2P strives to bring the full expedition experience to the classroom in the most authentic and groundbreaking way; online materials, cutting edge curriculum, learning modules, live video conference calls and several other aspects become a part of the large puzzle. As i2P reaches out to Educate, Inspire and Empower students and teachers, logistically many checkpoints are put in place to gather the necessary information to individualize as much of the educational curriculum as possible.

From the initial planning stages, including where the Expedition will take place all the way to when the i2P team and Youth Ambassadors return home from the Expedition, communication with registered schools is essential. Schools are first encouraged to sign up online via a back-end CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Database, generously provided to us by SalesForce. This easy process only takes a few minutes.

Schools are asked several pieces of data, including: school demographics, such as, where they are located, how many students are participating specifically in the i2P curriculum/program, whether or not they have participated in a previous Expedition and how they heard about impossible2Possible. Most importantly, at the time the school registers, they are also asked if they are interested in participating in the live video conference calls. Schools that indicate an interest in the live video conference calls give specific information regarding their computer operating systems and versions so that we can arrange things beforehand for seamless Expedition delivery. At the time of registration, schools are encouraged to engage their students through similar educational topics and themes as to the focus of the upcoming expedition.

STEP 1:REGISTRATION

BEHIND THE SCENES

Schools are sent periodic communications to keep them engaged and to provide essential information, and thenin the time between the school registration and the day the expedition begins, the expedition-specific microsite is developed and launched. The web site is full of engaging activities, curriculum, modules and other expedition related material. As the i2P team gets closer to the departure for the expedition, communication to our schools gets ramped up in order to personalize the experience.

And finally, the Expedition begins! The i2P team and Youth Ambassadors hit the ground running and so do our participating classrooms. From daily communications from the i2P education team, to ongoing registration with schools, to live video conference calls, to distribution of media assets, including photos and videos, we are in “Expedition Go-Time Mode”. All hands are on deck from the education team at home as well as the team on the frontlines of the Expedition and all of you in the classroom. It is truly a joint effort to pull all of the pieces together.

Video is being shot and edited, photos are being taken on location, interviews are being done by the Youth Ambassadors, journals are being written, questions from classrooms are being answered in the field, data is being collected in the field, and all of this is being sent back or uploaded to our media storage server (MediaFire). This allows an education team that is scattered all over the globe to collaboratively edit raw video and prepare to distribute the wide variety of multimedia content and curriculum materials to the participating schools.

11THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

STEP 3:LAUNCH MICROSITE

STEP 4:GET CONTENT

STEP 2:COMMUNICATION

BEHIND THE SCENES

At this point, often the same day the content is generated in the field, the magic begins to happen. Classrooms are given the opportunity to use the distributed content in any way they would like. Our participating students in classrooms all over the globe are encouraged to create their own projects surrounding the educational focus of the Expedition. We have classrooms that begin to communicate with one another, continue communications with the i2P team and Youth Ambassadors via Skype, engage in Challenge-Based Learning opportunities (see Challenged Based Learning at http://www.challengebasedlearning.org), and most frequently find project ideas that directly relate the content back to their specific curriculum areas. The sky is the limit to what is created once a student-centered model is delivered and when students and teachers begin to view themselves as true i2P team members on these expeditions.

Experiencing the behind the scenes of an expedition from the educational team perspective can be very rewarding when you consider the impacts students can have on the world around them. Students are Educated, Inspired and Empowered and begin to come up with visions for how to make a difference in the AMAZING world we live in. The framework for a true 21st Century Experiential Based Learning environment is what we strive to put in front of these schools. Yes, a lot of work goes on behind the scene to keep schools in communication and get them the content they need, but when the Expedition is over, it only represents the beginning of the next adventure in discovering and learning.

12THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

IS YOUR CLASSROOM REgISTERED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR NEXT YOUTH EXPEDITION IN UTAH IN MAY OF 2013? IF NOT, wHAT ARE YOU wAITINg FOR?

THE PAYOFF:LIVE & INTERACTIVE

STEP 5:ENCOURAGE

COLLABORATION

Visit http://impossible-2possible.com/botswana/education/curriculum#m8 to see all of the EducationModules for Botswana!

Blake and Nathaniel Crossley are a unique pair of i2P inspirational ambassadors. Nathaniel is eleven years old and Blake is his dad. Nathaniel was born with a club foot and demonstrates every single day how to live the i2P message: Blake and Nathaniel were introduced to Ray in 2008 when i2P was just being launched. After a presentation at the local college, Blake and Ray went for a run and shared humanitarian stories and about a week later Ray called to ask if Blake and Nathaniel would be i2P inspirational ambassadors.

According to Nathaniel, “IT’S AWESOME” being involved. “I speak to local schools about my fundraising and tell them how I am an inspirational ambassador”. Nathaniel hopes one day to apply to be an i2P Youth Ambassador, an act that would take courage just to apply. Nathaniel has just recently launched a new venture call lego4africa and will culminate in Nathaniel and Blake visiting the wells that they helped to fund in Africa before hiking Mount Kilimanjaro. (Visit the website at www.lego4africa.ca)

Blake and Nathaniel love following the i2P youth expeditions and their favorite part is “the fact that all of the youth from various backgrounds come together for one common goal” and the interactive websites that allow classrooms right into the adventure. Blake and Nathaniel are just honored to be a part of the team; a demonstration of the class, selflessness and heart that made attracted i2P to the duo in the first place!

ROFILEA LOOK AT PEOPLE IN THE i2P FAMILY WHO ARE DOING THE EXTRAORDINARY

13THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

When Amanda James applied to be one of the Youth Ambassadors for i2P Baffin back in 2009 she was struggling to make a path for herself on her own. But once she was chosen, and welcomed into the i2P family, she finally felt like the pieces were falling into place. “I was doing something that defined me, that made me who I wanted to be; I had found my path”. Since Baffin, a lot has happened for Amanda. She finished her undergrad and began her graduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, she is volunteering with the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research in the Applied Animal Ecology division (her dream job!), and she got married! This summer she celebrated her one year aniversary with her husband Marcus; whom some might remember from her blogs from Baffin Island.

Amanda not only lives impossible2Possible in her active life, having begun racing triathlons, 10 kms and half marathons (things she never envisioned herself doing) when she got back from Baffin, but also in her academic life. “I find that i2P’s influence and mission permeates all aspects of my life”.

And her advice to current Youth Ambassadors, or youth thinking of applying? “This is your time to make a difference and your time to blaze your path as you start reaching for the impossible” says Amanda “Contemplate how i2P’s mission can play out in your own life and how your story can add to the great collection of gifts that i2P has to offer”!

AMANDAJAMES

BAFFIN 2009

“UNLOCK YOUR GIFT”

BLAKE&

NATHANIELCROSSLEY

ONE “AWESOME” DUO

ROFILEA LOOK AT PEOPLE IN THE i2P FAMILY WHO ARE DOING THE EXTRAORDINARY

14THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR

Transamerica & i2P: sTamPing a Legacy of financiaL fiTness on

a new generaTion of youTh

DECEMBER 2012

Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

This is exactly why what i2P and Transamerica are doing together is so important. Please join others like you and read on.

What do i2P and Transamerica have in common? That is simple; both are on a mission to improve the lives of youth, individuals and communities by overcoming obstacles to Transform Tomorrow!

i2P is proud to be working with Transamerica to develop a brand new, “edge-of-the-seat” curriculum of “financial fitness” and “financial education” for a new generation of youth, locally and around the world.

impossible2Possible’s mission is to educate, inspire and empower youth to reach beyond their perceived limits through adventure to make positive change in the world.

Transamerica’s mission to help individuals and communities Transform Tomorrow through increasing their financial literacy brings our two organizations together.

The missions of i2P and Transamerica take planning, commitment and the ability to identify and overcome obstacles. Click here for a video message from Ray illustrating this point!

But don’t just take it from us, see what this means to people like you; i2P Youth Ambassadors and four very special Transamerica Interns.

TRANSFORMTOMORROW!

15

TRANSAMERICA & i2P

FINANCIAL LITERACY AND INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCEHANNAH ELKINGTON – I2P YOUTH AMBASSADOR –

ExPEDITION AFRICA 2012

“Financial Literacy” and “Resilience” are both relatively new words in my vocabulary. Yet both words will have a huge impact on my future. In fact, my ability to grasp and actualize both of those words will have an instrumental role in defining my future success.

For many young people, myself included, financial literacy seems like an inapplicable word to my current life situation. I’m a student, and like most students, money is something I don’t (yet) have a lot of. Not only do I have not have a lot of extra cash, the cash that I do have is spent on mostly one thing; my education, as it is my hope that with an education I may one day have enough finances to actually be literate about. Yet the more I learn about financial literacy the more I realize that I have been looking at it from the wrong angle. I thought that in order to need financial literacy one actually had to have a substantial degree of money to financially worry about. But that is like saying a person needs to be able to write before they can read.

“Knowledge” before “Action”; that’s how young people should view financial literacy; that’s how I should view financial literacy. If I want to become financially successful I need to start preparing myself now. I need to start learning about what it means to handle money. To budget, invest, save, and plan with my future goals in mind. If I as a young person can enter the working world as a financially literate individual, I will be more capable at handling my finances and also more resilient in the face of financial adversity and change.

Resilience is a word I seem to be hearing more often in today’s society. It’s a word that all of us have had to embody at one point or another in our lives. For children, resilience is what it takes to learn how to ride a bike for the first time. For young teens it is successfully making the transition from elementary to high school. For young adults, resilience may very well mean the difference between finding a job in an ever-changing and unpredictable economy. An economy where job and life experience is often valued over the passion and innovation of youth.

IF MY GENERATION WANTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START LEARNING HOW TO FAIL FORWARD. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START DEVELOPING RESILIENCY AND LEARNING HOW TO ADAPT AND OVERCOME IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY AND CHANGE.

- HANNAH ELKINGTON, YOUTH AMBASSADOR

““ MY FAVORITE PART OF THE BOTSWANA ExPEDITION WAS GETTING TO SEE HOW MY OWN ExPERIENCES WITH THE HISTORIC CEDAR RAPIDS FLOOD AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE WERE SHAPED TO PROMOTE CERTAIN VALUES ON A GLOBAL LEVEL. THE TRANSAMERICA AND IMPOSSIBLE2POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIP PROVIDES A WAY TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL EDUCATION AMONG YOUTH. FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND PREPARATION IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST ENGAGING TOPIC, AND I2P PRESENTS A CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE WAY TO REACH YOUTH WITH THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

- GREG HUNT, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

“

“

THEAMBASSADOR

THEAMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

16THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

TRANSAMERICA & i2P

Resilience is the ability to overcome adversity and persevere through trying circumstances and adapt to our ever-changing environments. In simple terms; resilience is falling down and then learning to get back up and try again. Yet resilience is more than that, it’s about getting up and then adjusting your approach so that you don’t fall down in the same place again. Many might say that the embodiment of resilience in an individual is that they never fail as a result of their resilience. That’s not true; resilient people fail, the difference is that they fail forward. That statement however, leads to an uncomfort-able truth, about how resilience is formed; it is formed through failure.

Like any skill resilience has to be practiced over and over until it becomes muscle memory. It is an inward change that results in outward action. Therefore if someone is to build resilience, they must perfect the art of failing. Failing however is a lost art. Society has done its best to eradicate failure from the lives of young people for fear that it may damage their self confidence and taint their positive self image. The result; a generation who has not learned how to fail, a generation who has not learned how to persevere in the face of adversity; a generation without individual and collective resiliency.

If my generation wants to be successful we are going to have to start learning how to fail forward. We are going to have to start developing resiliency and learning how to adapt and overcome in the face of adversity and change. If we want to be financially literate which will lead to financial success we are going to have to start preparing ourselves now; start planning for the future now. Financial literacy and individual resiliency; we need to start developing them now. We need to plan and prepare today, so that we can be successful tomorrow.

THE ExPEDITION ENCOURAGES ALL INVOLVED TO REACH BEYOND THEIR LIMITS AND EMPOWER THOSE AROUND THEM. THROUGH THE TEAMWORK OF I2P AND TRANSAMERICA WE WERE ABLE TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO “TRANSFORM TOMORROW®” THROUGH INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCY AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. ALTHOUGH I MAY NEVER FACE THE TASK OF RUNNING OVER TWENTY MILES THROUGH THE DESERT, BEING A PART OF THIS ExPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME THAT BY PLANNING TODAY WE PUT OURSELVES IN THE POSITION TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES OF ALL SIzES TOMORROW.

- ABBY CONRAD, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

““

Visit our website for the entire 11-video series

from Expedition Africa 2012!

17THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

TRANSAMERICA & i2P

Very special Transamerica Interns, four university students from Iowa, supported the i2P Youth Ambassadors throughout the Expedition. Each dedicated and bringing a unique, cutting edge lens to the mission of helping to build a contemporary, exciting platform to stamp a lasting legacy of financial literacy on a new generation of youth. i2P extends a heartfelt special thank you to Brenna Bush, Steve Drost, Abby Conrad and Greg Hunt of Transamerica! i2P and Transamerica encourage all of you to continue the journey started in Botswana and leverage this extraordinary curriculum in your classrooms and at home with your friends and families!

Website: http://impossible2possible.com/botswana/extraordinary.

IT’S BEEN A GREAT ExPERIENCE PARTNERING WITH AN ORGANIzATION THAT IS DRIVEN TO EDUCATE, INSPIRE AND EMPOWER OUR YOUTH. AS A YOUNG ADULT MYSELF, I TRULY WAS INSPIRED BY WATCHING THE YOUTH AMBASSADORS RUN CONSECUTIVE MARATHONS FOR EIGHT DAYS, SHOWING THE WORLD FIRST HAND THAT ANYTHING CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH PLANNING AND PREPARATION. THE MISSION OF I2P GOES HAND-IN-HAND WITH THAT OF TRANSAMERICA; WITH PROPER EDUCATION AND INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCE YOUNG ADULTS ARE ABLE TO CREATE THE ExACT TOMORROW THAT THEY DESIRE. I AM EAGER TO WATCH THIS PARTNERSHIP GROW AND TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE YOUTH.

- STEVE DROST, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA

“

“FROM THE DEDICATION OF I2P AND TRANSAMERICA, THIS ExPEDITION ALLOWED YOUNG ADULTS TO SEE THE INSPIRING ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL LIFE THROUGH THE PRACTICES OF FINANCIAL LITERACY. THESE PRACTICES HELP BUILD A STRONG FINANCIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE BY EMPOWERING THEM TO REACH BEYOND THEIR PERCEIVED LIMITS. FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS ExPEDITION SHOWED ME THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW PLANNING FOR TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES MEANS I ENjOY MY TODAY. TOGETHER WITH I2P AND TRANSAMERICA, WE ARE LEAVING A LIFE LEGACY ON OUR FUTURE OF TOMORROW

- BRENNA BUSH, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA

“

“

Continue the journey!

The mission of impossible2Possible (i2P) is to use the platform of adventure and technology to educate, inspire, and empower the global community to reach beyond their perceived limits and make positive change in the world.

The vision of i2P is to cultivate a generation of leaders who, through direct experience, education, and the use of ground-breaking technology, are prepared to pioneer social and environmental action throughout the world.

GOALS: EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND EMPOWER

Educate. Through a 21st Century education program grounded in experiential learning and reciprocal communication, social and environmental issues from around the world are delivered directly to the classroom. i2P Experiential Learning programs include online education resource materials, in-class speaking engagements, interactive media, workshops, and most importantly, direct links of communication to the expedition team.

Inspire. i2P’s Youth Ambassadors, world class explorers, and advisors who undertake journeys to some of the most socially and environmentally sensitive regions of the world are the conduits of inspiration. These journeys are meant to push the mental and physical limits of the explorers, and to use the theatre of adventure to simultaneously introduce the global community to the notion that nothing is impossible!

Empower. The i2P Extraordinary Acts program is meant to highlight the efforts of people impacting their world in a positive manner. The dream of i2P is to mobilize one million young people, from every situation and circumstance, to engage in positive acts, and make a difference.

18THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

ABOUT

US

Ray Zahab speaking to a group of educators at the many educational conferences he attends annually. i2P continues to grow with the number of schools, teachers, and students participating in their amazing expeditions and Experiential Learning Programs!

GET INVOLVED TODAY! THERE IS NO COST FOR SCHOOLS, YOUTH AMBASSADORS, OR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN EXPERIENTIAL

LEARNING PROGRAMS AND EXPEDITIONS!

19THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

ABOUT

US

i2P EXPEDITIONS FEATURE INSTANT COMMUNICATION & UPDATES FOR THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG AT HOME!

LIVE TWO-WAY VIDEOCONFERENCES BRING STUDENTS DIRECTLY TO THE EXPEDITION REGION!

Join our mailing list at http://i2p.force.com/TheAmbassador

THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR

20THE

AMBASSADORTHE

AMBASSADOR DECEMBER 2012

Editorial Team

Ray zahab

Editor-at-Large

Grant Mowbray

Editor

Bob Cox

Editor in Chief

Editor

Matt Howe

Todd Shannon

Art Direction Content Supervisor

jill Gilday

Distribution provided by:

jordan Thoms

Content Supervisor Content Supervisor

Adriana Rossi

If there is anything you’d like to see in “The Ambassador”, or if you would like to learn more about i2P, please contact Matt Howe at mhowe@impossible2possible.com

Comments? Questions?Suggestions?

www.impossible2possible.com