Would You Send Your Child To This?

[BoyGenius]

Another One Making Their Rounds

Here's the next one for you all.

You're little Leonardtown student comes home with a letter from school and proudly proclaims "they have been nominated for academic achievement" and you should buy this:

United States Achievement Academy

What do you do?

 

[BoyGenius]

My daughter went to Africa/Kenya when she was 14, Mission trip with the Nazarene Church, she went again when she was 20.....and she wants to go back....she loves the people of Africa...

My older daughter went to Trinadad, Nazarene Church Mission trip, and loved it...she was 17.....

That's not what we're talking about here.

Did the mission send a letter to your dead cat?

That's the kind of organization's we're discussing in this thread. People, whom, you have no clue who they are.

In 2006, the organization sent a recruitment letter to the parents of an Earl Gray in Arkansas. Earl Gray, however, was the couple's white, one-eyed, cat. He died ten years earlier and is buried in the family's back yard. He was 14-years- old;

People to People Faces Wrongful Death Lawsuit

 

[itsbob]

I'd send a kid but I'd want at least 6 cases of imported beer and 200Lb's of bratwurst in exchange...

Now you're talkin...

Someone's mind is in gear this morning!!
Hannen Alt.. YUM!!

 

[itsbob]

My daughter went to Africa/Kenya when she was 14, Mission trip with the Nazarene Church, she went again when she was 20.....and she wants to go back....she loves the people of Africa...

My older daughter went to Trinadad, Nazarene Church Mission trip, and loved it...she was 17.....

Not even close to being the same scenario.

 

[itsbob]

Here's the next one for you all.

You're little Leonardtown student comes home with a letter from school and proudly proclaims "they have been nominated for academic achievement" and you should buy this:

United States Achievement Academy

What do you do?

I was 'nominated' for Who's Who Among American High School Students.. i was SOOOO proud then..

HUGE sales ploy to get your parents to buy this "yearbook" for like $300.

I look back now and think.. WHO in their right mind would nominate a kid with a straight 2.0 GPA... already enlisted in the Army.. had more days detention than there were days of school.. etc.. etc..

 

[BoyGenius]

I was 'nominated' for Who's Who Among American High School Students.. i was SOOOO proud then..

HUGE sales ploy to get your parents to buy this "yearbook" for like $300.

I look back now and think.. WHO in their right mind would nominate a kid with a straight 2.0 GPA... already enlisted in the Army.. had more days detention than there were days of school.. etc.. etc..

Isn't it great that the Internet is bringing down all these scams? Back then nobody knew what was going on.

Here's who's behind this one:

"On August 21, 2001, Jim acquired the United States Achievement Academy which is an Honors Program for Outstanding High School students, Colleges and Universities across the nation. USAA is recognized on a National level and honors those students that excel in Academics, Sports and Music."

MIVCC - Guest Speaker

Who do you "acquire" a charity?

 

[itsbob]

For the cost, a family of four could fly to Europe and enjoy as much less the group activities they are promising.

EXACTLY..

They run a program in DC and they treat the kids like cattle.

Even if you send your kid from HERE to DC they will charge in the neighborhood of 2 - 3K.. Treat them like cattle for 2 weeks, MAYBE spend $50 per kid on food.. than pocket the rest. Everything they actually do in DC those 2 weeks is FREE for the company.

Accomplish no more than you could by taking them to DC for the day for FREE!

 

[Chasey_Lane]

My daughter went to Africa/Kenya when she was 14, Mission trip with the Nazarene Church, she went again when she was 20.....and she wants to go back....she loves the people of Africa...

Very cool indeed!! I'd love to visit South Africa in my lifetime. I think it would be an unbelievable journey.

 

[itsbob]

I think a better way to spend the 5 - 7K would be have your child do the research, let them figure out where in the world they want to go.. let them plan the trip.

With a little input from a parent let them do it all.. give them a budget, let them make hotel reservations, book flights.. do the itinerary of where they want to go, and how much time they want to spend in each place.. Let THEM do it, let them learn about the areas they want to go see.

Then let them pick a parent to go with them.. Alone time with Mom or Dad for a week or two in the summer.. let them teach YOu about the places you go to.


Imagine the pride a 13 or 14 year old kid would have with such an accomplishment, how many life skills they had just been taught in a short 2 week period.. and it would probably cost you half of the 5K they want.

 

[kwillia]

A lovely all expense paid trip to a foreign land paid for by family is nice... but you can't put it on a college resume, right? I would think doing something scholarly thru an organization can boost the look of someone's overall acheivements from the perspective of a college review board... am I off the mark?

 

[SoMDGirl42]

My nephew did something like this a few years ago. He went to Austraila. I believe he was there a month maybe? :shrug: Anyway, he loved it. It was a trip of a lifetime for him. He earned his own money to pay for the trip.

He is now a Sophmore at University of Maryland. He's recieved several scholorships and was a National Honor Student. My point is, he is not dumb and he did this. It cost him a few thousand dollars and enjoyed every minute. What's your point?

 

[itsbob]

A lovely all expense paid trip to a foreign land paid for by family is nice... but you can't put it on a college resume, right? I would think doing something scholarly thru an organization can boost the look of someone's overall acheivements from the perspective of a college review board... am I off the mark?

i would hope the college review boards would know what these really are, and would hold no weight.

 

[kwillia]

i would hope the college review boards would know what these really are, and would hold no weight.

My point is it is my understanding if you are going for a scholarship you are "graded" on how many extracurricular activities you participated in and/or involved with, right? I would think a sponsored trip for students would hold weight where a family trip to Zimbabwa wouldn't count for anything.

 

[itsbob]

My nephew did something like this a few years ago. He went to Austraila. I believe he was there a month maybe? :shrug: Anyway, he loved it. It was a trip of a lifetime for him. He earned his own money to pay for the trip.

He is now a Sophmore at University of Maryland. He's recieved several scholorships and was a National Honor Student. My point is, he is not dumb and he did this. It cost him a few thousand dollars and enjoyed every minute. What's your point?

I think the poit is there may be some legitimate worthwhile programs to this one, but most are scams intended to part you and your money.

DO your research before signing your kid up and spending thousands of dollars.

Makes you wonder why the paper didn't do some research before they provided the company with free advertising.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

A lovely all expense paid trip to a foreign land paid for by family is nice... but you can't put it on a college resume, right? I would think doing something scholarly thru an organization can boost the look of someone's overall acheivements from the perspective of a college review board... am I off the mark?

I concur...
An overseas trip through your science, engineering, etc department in your college: Good
Something that is pitched to you in the mail through a random organization: Waste of money

I was sent mail for a trip to Australia or something back in like, 8th grade
Sure, would it be neat to travel over there? Of course..but on my terms, and not through an organization charging multiple thousands for a trip where they're unspecific about lodging, and other things.

 

[itsbob]

My point is it is my understanding if you are going for a scholarship you are "graded" on how many extracurricular activities you participated in and/or involved with, right? I would think a sponsored trip for students would hold weight where a family trip to Zimbabwa wouldn't count for anything.

Why wouldn't it?

You can put anything on your resume you want, and write up your experiences any way you want.

A GOOD student can right up Spring Break in Daytona as a great humanitarian event, and score HUGE points..

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

A GOOD student can right up Spring Break in Daytona as a great humanitarian event, and score HUGE points..

Bob has a point

 

[Larry Gude]

If it were up to me, there would be two trips built into the public school curriculum; one in junior high, a cross country flight. The other in 12th grade. If we can pay $10,000 a year to educate public school kids, we can find enough money over seven school years, approximately $70,000, to send them on a couple air plane rides and a couple nights in a hotel.

Kids that have flown can opt out and receive a voucher instead for air travel for later use.

The point is to open there little minds to just how vast and empty our nation really is.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

If it were up to me, there would be two trips built into the public school curriculum; one in junior high, a cross country flight. The other in 12th grade. If we can pay $10,000 a year to educate public school kids, we can find enough money over seven school years, approximately $70,000, to send them on a couple air plane rides and a couple nights in a hotel.

Kids that have flown can opt out and receive a voucher instead for air travel for later use.

The point is to open there little minds to just how vast and empty our nation really is.

Bus trip to their nearest city, downtown, drop them off and let them figure out a way to get back home.
Increases their problem-solving skills and shows who can manage on their own and who needs to call mommy and daddy to be picked up.
:shrug:

 

[Larry Gude]

Bus trip to their nearest city, downtown, drop them off and let them figure out a way to get back home.
Increases their problem-solving skills and shows who can manage on their own and who needs to call mommy and daddy to be picked up.
:shrug:

I'm fine with that, too. In addition to the flights. Nothing can inspire the awe of the size of this nation as well as seeing it. In my view.