August 27, 2011 Mrs. Cecile deJongh Manager Financial Trust Company, Inc. 6100 Red Hook Quarter, B-3 St. Thomas, VI 00802 Dear Mrs. deJongh, RECEIVED SEP 1 3 2011 I am-a rising senior attending Charlotte Amalie High School. Thanks to your support, I was able to attend the Stanford 2011 session for Junior Statesmen of America this summer. I am greatly appreciative of your interest in this endeavor. The opportunity changed my outlook on various socio-economic issues and I feel as though it has made me more aware of problems concerning my community and the world. I will give a synopsis of my experiences, illustrate how they have benefited me, and explain how I intend to use the knowledge I have gained. I hope that my letter will give you a clear idea of how greatly you have aided my growth academically and socially. Firstly, I chose to attend JSA primarily because of the testimonials of those who had previously attended the program. Looking more attractive to potential colleges was simply a bonus to me. As a whole, the experience was far more memorable and worthwhile than I initially thought it would have been. I remember when I first arrived on campus, it was past midnight, I was yearning for a bed, and I felt like a fish out of water. My chapter advisor, Robert, flew into the office to greet me and direct me to my room. His energy and jubilant demeanor somehow invigorated me and made me look forward to registration the next day. I walked over to where students were required to drop off their congressional workshop articles and was immediately greeted by a young woman from Guam. She was outgoing, and awfully loquacious, a stark contrast to myself. It took me awhile to warm up to her but we inevitably became friends and begun assaulting each other with burning yet friendly insults not really EFTA01221377