The ONE Campus Challenge is fortunate to be taking five students, who embody the qualities of ONE and the OCC, on a trip to Kenya from July 25 to August 1, 2009. This trip is meant to demonstrate to the five dedicated students how their tireless mobilization and advocacy work in the United States translates to real, positive change on the ground in Africa. Those selected will take what they learn abroad and use it to motivate and mobilize their fellow students in the fight against global poverty and preventable diseases in next year’s ONE Campus Challenge.

We are ecstatic to announce the five students:

-Bryant Shannon, University of Florida

-Tomas Moreno, Wofford College, South Carolina

-Stephanie Parrish, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

-Steven Thai, Luther College, Iowa

-Melissa Boles, Washington State University – Vancouver

On top of their incredible work with the ONE Campus Challenge this year, these students also endured an arduous application process. An initial group of 20 students was announced at the end of March, determined by the number of actions they had taken as individuals (meaning, without the assistance of their campus group). (Actions considered “individual” were those such as making phone calls or writing letters to Congress, signing ONE’s online petitions, submitting letters to the editor of their local newspaper about poverty and global disease, or inviting new members to join ONE.)

These students were then invited to submit both an application and a project illustrating to the judges how they planned to utilize their experience in Kenya to further raise awareness about the issues of extreme poverty in their local communities once back in the US. These projects were then reviewed by two separate judging panels – one consisting of ONE staff and the second consisting of ONE board members, partner organizations, and experts in development and advocacy.

Huge congratulations to these exceptional wanafunzi (students) and we’ll see you in Kenya!

-Maisie Pigeon