This year’s trip expanded those students’ experiences even more.

The annual camp is held at Camp TOKA in Kosovo. Students share experiences with others from around the world.

“This camp’s theme was peacekeeping,” said Fort Dodge Senior High Counselor Jolene Hays, who accompanied the four students who traveled this year. “There were students from very diverse backgrounds, Israeli Arabs, Israeli Palestinians, students from Kosovo, and Serbia. And then some kids from Iowa.

“Students were able to discuss long-standing conflicts held deep in their cultures in a safe and supportive environment. With each generation of students comes great change, so events like this and open dialogue can help bring real change to culture and communities. Open-minded students who can have real, honest communication is key.”

Students from Senior High traveling were Brek Pingel, Aidin Grady and Saiya Noborikawa along with St. Edmond student Jonah Carlson,

“This camp brought together people who would not necessarily come together. They bonded quickly,” Hays said.

At the camp, students learn leadership skills, learn about cooperating and get to learn about the history and culture of Kosovo, a sister state to Iowa.

They were able to visit the city of Prizren and spent time with host families in Gjakova, which is a sister city to Fort Dodge.

They also had the chance to zipline and participate in a rock climbing experience called Via Ferrata.

Hays was joined by her husband, Josh, and Shelly Bottorff, the executive director of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association and the college and community fine arts director at Iowa Central Community College.

“This the best and most active youth sister city partnership in Iowa,” said Jolene Hays. “The students involved are citizen diplomats. Seeing how others live and being home-hosted is invaluable to understanding other cultures than ours.”

The connection to sister city Gjakova dates back to the early 2000s when the Iowa Army National Guard was deployed as peacekeepers as the former Yugoslavia broke up. In 2016, Fort Dodge and Gjakova officially became sister cities.

The group left for Kosovo on July 20 and had an adventurous return thanks to some travel delays. Hays said the delays pushed their arrival date all the way to Aug. 2nd.

“We had a scheduled long layover in Vienna on our way to Kosovo. On the way home, we ended up delayed in Denver and Dallas. It was 53 hours of travel/sitting on the way home,” she said.

“The students loved their experience,” Hays added. “Their home hosts were great and the students were real troopers with the delayed flights coming home.”

Hays said any student in grades 10 or 11 at FDSH or St. Edmond can apply to attend the camp next summer. Anyone interested can contact her for an application via email at jhays@fdschools.org.

Sponsors for this past summer’s trip were: Webster Co 4-H Foundation, Noon Kiwanis, New Co-op, Fort Dodge Community Foundation, Smeltzer Foundation, City of Fort Dodge Water & Wastewater Treatment Facilities and Study Club.