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FDSH students may participate in summer camp in Kosovo

Off to Kosovo?

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Kristen Rapp, a senior at FDSH, right, visits with Jehona Gjurgjeala, director of Camp TOKA in Kosovo, left, Wednesday afternoon about an upcoming summer camp trip to Kosovo. Danae Pingel, also a senior, looks on.

Select students from Fort Dodge Senior High may have a chance to expand their horizons this summer on a trip to Kosovo, an independent nation located in southeast Europe.

Jehona Gjurgjeala, the director of Camp TOKA in Kosovo, visited with staff and students at FDSH Wednesday afternoon to discuss the opportunity of attending the summer camp.

The camp is tentatively scheduled for August 2017.

One of the goals of the camp is to create and develop relationships, understanding and cooperation with students from other parts of the world.

“Problem solving, working with others and working with teams from other cultures to do fun activities,” Gjurgjeala said.

Between four and six students, ages 16 to 19, would have the opportunity to go if the project moves forward.

Students from Johnston High School are also expected to go.

Gjurgjeala said a third of the students will be from Iowa, another third will be from other countries and the other third will be students in Kosovo.

At least one chaperone, either from Johnston High School or Fort Dodge Senior High, or both, will accompany the students on the trip.

Kenneth Hayes, FDSH principal, said safety and cost will be the top considerations for making the trip possible.

“I think this would be awesome to do,” Hayes said. “As principal I like to dream big.”

Hayes said the trip will need to approved by the FDCSD board at some point.

Dawn Larson, economic development specialist for the city of Fort Dodge, has been to Kosovo personally.

She said Kosovo is a very safe environment.

“They are very welcoming,” she said.

Kosovo is about a tenth the size of Iowa, Larson said.

For the trip, students will also need passports, which take about 12 weeks to process, according to Hayes.

The estimated cost of the trip would be about $2,000 per student.

Most of the cost is the plane ticket itself, Gjurgjeala said, which could run up to $1,400.

The climate in Kosovo is similar to Fort Dodge, according to Gjurgjeala.

She said the mountains are one of the area’s most interesting features.

Hiking, climbing and zip-lining are some examples of activities the students may partake in.

“I believe it would be something you will remember for the rest of your lives,” Gjurgjeala told the students.

The camp would last for about seven days, she said.

Gjurgjeala explained that the students would also have free time and would get to hang out as they like.

During their stay, the students would be assigned to comfortable and cozy cabins, Gjurgjeala said.

Hayes said he is looking forward to future possibilities, connecting Fort Dodge and Kosovo.

He mentioned the possibility of having a foreign exchange student from Kosovo at FDSH.

Gjurgjeala liked the ideas.

“It’s just great to have these possibilities,” she said.

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