P ACIFIC AND A SIAN A FFAIRS C OUNCIL
1601 East–West Road , 4th Floor • Honolulu , Hawai’i 96848–1601
Telephone: (808)944–7780 • Facsimile: (808)944–7785
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May 12, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Person: Natasha Chappel
Phone: (work) 944-7759; Email: hs@paachawaii.org

Twenty Students Awarded Travel Scholarship to South Korea

Twenty students from Hawaii’s public high schools were awarded scholarships for the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council’s (PAAC) 2005 Summer Study Tour to South Korea. Students will depart from Honolulu on June 20, 2005 for a two-week tour with stops including Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju, and Gunsan. Awardees represent schools on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Big Island, and Molokai (students listed at the end of this press release). This program is for public and charter high school students, and is funded by a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation.

During this two-week exploration abroad, students will experience traditional and contemporary Korea by visiting sights that vary from the royal burial tombs of the ancient capital to heavy industrial areas of southern port cities. Korea experienced rapid growth over the past few decades, and students will have a chance to trace these effects on society. Highlights include meeting peers at local schools and a chance to feel the division of the Korean peninsula at the DMZ (for a detailed itinerary visit www.paachawaii.org/travel). A one-week orientation coordinated by PAAC, from June 12-17, will provide students with an introduction to Korea’s history, culture, and language.

Scholarships include airfare, hotels, meals, ground transportation, tour guides, admission fees, and a one-week pre-trip orientation on Oahu. Recipients were selected based on interest in Korea and international affairs, financial need, academic achievement, character, and involvement in PAAC’s high school program.

2005 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (individual student photos available upon request):

The Pacific and Asian Affairs Council (PAAC) is a private, non-profit organization that serves as the World Affairs Council for the State of Hawai'i. PAAC promotes increased understanding of world affairs, particularly Asia-Pacific issues, by sponsoring speaker forums and conferences, facilitating cross-cultural exchange of international visitors, and conducting global edu cation outreach programs at Hawai’i high schools and community colleges statewide. Visit PAAC on the web at www.paachawaii.org

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