SYTA Youth Foundation Celebrates Anniversary With Florida Trip

The SYTA Youth Foundation (SYF) celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2010 with a trip to Orlando, Florida for 35 students who were nominated by friends, teachers and family based on classroom performance and community service.

During the Orlando visit, the youth participants, in addition to their daytime sightseeing activities, attended evening conferences with speakers and individual mentors. The young people discussed how to manage dealing with other people, how to establish and develop good friendships, and how to prepare for making important life decisions.

The students, all from the San Jose, CA area, were co-hosted in Orlando by the Disney Youth Education Series (Y.E.S.) at Walt Disney World, and the Universal Education Program at Universal Studios Florida. Additionally, dozens of SYTA members contributed substantial donations to underwrite the all-inclusive group trip.

SVF, the philanthropic sister organization of the Student & Youth Travel Association, began its Silver Lining Program in 2006 as a vehicle to reward students and youth who were victims of personal crisis yet produced an extraordinary outcome for themselves or for someone else.

Travel Insured International contributed a combined $14,000 to the SYF during 2009 and 2010 and is looking forward to supporting and participating in the 2011 SYF Silver Lining Program. Preliminary plans call for student and youth participants to be selected through the teacher, friends and family nominations from the New York City area. Approximately 40 winners will be selected to participate in an all-inclusive trip next summer to Philadelphia.

More information about The SYTA Youth Foundation, a 501C3 philanthropic organization, can be found at www.sytayouthfoundation.org.