Where are they now! Teen Writer Nick Raczkiewicz

We caught up with one of our 2013 Teen Writers, Nick Raczkiewicz, to chat about his camp experience and to see what the future holds for this high school junior. Nick is beginning the school year by embracing new experiences because he believes, "There is so much opportunity in this world that I want to explore all of it. This past summer I enrolled in the Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW), a program that offers in-coming high school juniors and seniors a unique and challenging opportunity to see what it is like to run their own business.


What have you been up to since completing the program?

I've survived sophomore year, and learned a new coding language, Visual Basic, which is a College in High School course. I honestly haven’t pursued writing to the extent that I’d like, but I’m always coming up with new ideas. I have also enjoyed Chemistry this past year, and I hope to continue with it in my junior year.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?

I have primarily learned to become immersed with whatever I am working on at the time. If I don’t truly enjoy the project that I’ve taken on, my work will reflect that, and taking pleasure in my work is always important to me.

How would you describe the Teen Writer experience?

I really enjoyed the immersive aspect of the program. It really blew me away just how much writing can be incorporated in everyday lifestyle, and the way Gina taught us it was perfect. Her style of teaching; the hands-on aspect of it, such as walking through some of the city of Pittsburgh to gain ideas for stories was amazing. The other students I worked with were just as enthusiastic as I was, and that made the entire experience so much more enjoyable. The classroom, while restricting at some points when each of us were longing to be outside in the sun more, was a nice room, clean, and it was comfortable. If I ever get the chance to work with Gina again, I will snap it up in a heartbeat, as her class was such a great experience. I hope our paths will cross again.

What is your 6-Word Autobiography:

Who knows where life takes us?

Luminari Introduces New Ambassador Camp Director for 2015

LETTER FROM AMBASSADOR! DIRECTOR GINA CATANZARITE

I am thrilled to move into my new role as Director of the 2015 I Want to be an Ambassador! camp. While the Director role is new to me, the camp itself is not. I've been part of the Ambassador camp since its inception five years ago, both as a session presenter and as a supporter of Luminari and its mission to create ripple effects of positive change. I cannot wait to add a few ripples of my own, and to meet the next wave of aspiring young ambassadors who will join us in June 2015!

Those who know me from my "day job" as a writer and television producer are familiar with my love of inspiring quotations -- and I thought hard about just which one I'd like to include here to set the tone for next year's Ambassador! camp. My favorites range from luminaries in the world of politics to those in the arts, both modern-day and ones who made their marks in history.

So many wise words from which to choose... and yet the phrase that keeps playing through my head is this one: Diplomacy means handling the porcupine without feeling the quills.

I have no idea where that homespun little saying originated but it makes me smile. And it makes me think.

We live in a world filled with "quills" and day in and day out, citizens in our global community feel their sharp stabs of pain. Through improved communication, creativity, and collaboration, ambassadors of all kinds can ease suffering, promote peace, and find solutions to society's most pressing problems.

I look forward to spending the coming months working with community experts, teachers, and caring adults as we shape the Ambassador! camp curriculum and plan exciting elements for the Washington, D.C. excursion. Most of all, I look forward to spreading the word to our region's young people and encouraging them to join us in this exciting camp experience.

If you know a few teens with a tendency to lead the pack and solve the world's problems -- it's never too early to tell them about the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp. June 2015 will come around faster than we think. . . but then again, the future usually does.

All the best,
Gina Catanzarite

Rebecca Cataldi's work inspires diplomacy camp

Rebecca Cataldi, whose work inspired the creation of the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp five years ago, reflects on the camp's success and growth.

Rebecca is Program Manager at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy (ICRD). She is also Founder of the American-Islamic Friendship Project; was named an Ambassador for Peace by the Universal Peace Federation; and is a Conflict Resolution Specialist and Trainer, Language Educator, and Published Author.

1.  How did you first get involved with Luminari and why? Hilda invited me; she said she came up with the idea for Luminari from hearing about the work I do in international conflict resolution and faith-based diplomacy. I thought it was a wonderful idea to give young people an opportunity to start learning and thinking about these concepts and to decide if this is something they want to pursue in their future.

2.  Talk to us about some of the big successes in the last 5 years of Luminari. What moments stand out to you? What are you the most proud of?
I think what stood out to me was hearing about Luminari graduates who went back to use negotiations and other conflict resolution skills in their lives, their homes, and their communities. It's wonderful to know people are able to put into practice what they learn in a useful way.

3.  Who are some of the people that make the organization what it is, why?
Well I haven't had the opportunity to work closely with everyone, but it's been a privilege to work with Hilda. She is really an inspiration because she conceived this idea and turned it into reality and continues to make it grow.

4.  What’s next for Luminari? What will the next 5 years look like?
Hard for me to say, but I'd love to see it involve more international students who may be studying in Pittsburgh to really enhance the cross-cultural interaction and learning, and maybe more 'alumnae' programs to bring past Luminari participants together to share their experiences since leaving the program. That would help us to better understand how young people are using what they learned.

5.  For those just learning about the organization, what’s the one thing they should know to get them involved? How can they help?
It's a special program because it's focused on developing diplomatic skills in young people from a variety of disciplines--from cultural sensitivity to conflict resolution to economics to religion and much more--and it's interactive, so rather than just learning about topics, people are actually experiencing them and doing things hands-on. I would encourage anyone interested to learn more, to contribute if you can whether financially or by offering your expertise as a session facilitator or speaker, or to recommend the program to young people who may be interested.