Capital District students win trip to Russia | Parents & kids

Two high school students from the Capital District will be awarded a two-week all-expense paid trip to Tula, Russia for winning the Albany-Tula Alliance essay contest. The awards will be issued in the Little Theatre at the Shenendehowa High School on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 10 a.m. Local students in our region and in Tula were asked to identify an issue that Presidents Obama and Medvedev can work on together to improve the lives of both Americans and Russians.

Charlotte Storch, a junior at Bethlehem High School and Rachel M. Augustine, a senior at Shenendehowa High School will receive an award for winning the essay contest and will have the opportunity to travel to Tula, Russia this summer. Rachel wrote an essay on the benefits of nuclear power and Charlotte composed an essay on the perils of climate change. Both essays offer compelling views on the importance of clean energy and environmental health of our planet.

The Alliance-Tula Alliance, organized in 1991, established a sister-city relationship between Albany, New York and Tula, Russia, to promote cultural understanding between these two communities. Tula, Russia is located 125 miles south of Moscow. Since then, the sister cities have shared educational, governmental, business, medical and health-related partnerships. The two award winners, Charlotte and Rachel will serve as ambassadors to help build a foundation between young people of these cities.

Two students from Tula who won the essay contest there will visit the Capital Region in 2010. All four students will enjoy home stays, cultural excursions and learn about history, current issues and will share experiences that will enrich their lives.