Pleasantville High School Students Honored as International Ambassadors
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Five Pleasantville High School students were honored Monday night as young ambassadors, traveling this summer as part of the Pleasantville International Association (PIA) 2022 Ambassadors Program.
The student ambassadors are Trey Persons, who is headed to Korea, Kate Moroney (Ecuador), Clara Neilson-Papish (France), Jessica Secrest (Costa Rica) and Sophia Vecchiariello (Puerto Rico).
Pleasantville Mayor Peter Scherer congratulated the students at Monday’s Village Board meeting, handing out special certificates while Village Trustee David Vinjamuri presented them with green Pleasantville hats.
“It is my pleasure to invite each of you to wear these hats in these other countries,” Scherer told the students. “I am confident you will end up in conversations about Pleasantville in far-flung places you are going to and come back here and report about those conversations.”
The nonprofit PIA promotes international goodwill through its scholarships and exchange programs. Students are required with one parent to make a two-year commitment by attending monthly meetings and serving as a committee chair or officer.
Participation starts in the fall of the year prior to travel and continues until the June after the students return. They visit their destination for a minimum of three weeks to focus on cultural immersion by living with a family and participating in work-study or community service projects.
Upon returning, they publicly share their experiences through presentations.
Scherer applauded the PIA ambassadors.
“The decision to do this is with full enthusiasm and a certain amount of courage,” he said. “To jump on a plane and head out in unchartered distances and to live in a different place, a different culture, I am mightily impressed by all of you who do it. I have been every year.”
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