People to People Moments

• Lend a much-needed hand, building homes for local residents or revitalizing damaged communities  
• Hear stories of the hurricane’s devastation firsthand
• Pay tribute to both the survivors and the soldiers who rescued them

Enhance Your Education

• Give your time and service to those who need it most
• Celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks over the Mississippi
• Sample Southern hospitality in one of America’s most historic cities
• Understand your own power to make a difference

Day 1
Welcome to New Orleans

• Proceed through registration and start getting acquainted with your fellow Student Leaders.
• Hear from special guest Lt. General Russel L. HonorÈ, USA (Ret), leader of Task Force Katrina in 2005, about how he and his troops addressed monumental challenges in the wake of the hurricane.

• Witness the devastation caused by the failure of one of the levees.
• Hear from a New Orleans resident about the events surrounding Katrinaís touchdown.
• Step back to colonial times in the lively French Quarter.
• Talk with Tom Piazza, author of the award-winning book Why New Orleans Matters.

• Rebuild the New Orleans community through hands-on service projects, whether repairing damaged community centers, building new homes, donating time at local food banks, or helping with city beautification projects.

• Hear from storm chaser Jim Reed this evening, and gain another perspective on Katrina from his remarkable photographs.

• Continue community service projects to strengthen and renew New Orleans.
• Hear harrowing personal stories of Hurricane Katrina, from citizens still working to recover their former lives.

• Continue your service to the residents of New Orleans.
• Learn from director Spike Lee, whose award-winning documentary When the Levees Broke examined both the causes and effects of Katrinaís devastation.

• Explore the eerily beautiful landscape of the Louisiana bayou by boat.
• Watch for fascinating creatures like alligators, nutria, turtles, and gar in the swampy waters.
• Gain insights into the American South as you explore a former plantation.

• Get your hands dirty once more, to help restore a local school.
• Celebrate the Fourth of July on the banks of the Mississippi, at the Dueling Barges Fireworks Extravaganza.
• Present donations of at least $50,000 to New Orleans-area charities.

• Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state, offers insights into life on the presidentís Cabinet.
• Continue renovating the school to encourage local familiesí return to the region.
• Bid adieu to New Orleans with a magical Mardi Gras-style gala.
• Feast on famous Creole cuisine and dance to the music of a live brass band.
• Hear from Super Bowl MVPs Peyton and Eli Manning about their passion for their hometown.

• Depart this morning for home

We work diligently to ensure that the activities described here are available on your program. In rare cases, scheduling conflicts, delays, weather, or circumstances beyond our control may result in program changes. If substitution is required, we make every effort to feature comparable events to retain the content and quality of the program.