Muskegon Area Teens to embark on trip to Africa
” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous speech, The Birth of a New Nation was inspired after King visited Ghana, I wouldn’t be surprised if these students traveling to Africa return too with ideas to help change their communities.”
-Paul Allen Billings
Muskegon, MI April 17, 2017:
Six (6) Muskegon area high school students will embark on a life -changing journey to Africa. Five Honor Roll Students from Muskegon Heights Academy and one Student from Orchard View High School will depart Thursday for Ghana West Africa. The all-expense paid excursion sponsored by 103.7 the Beat FM, the West Michigan Community Help Network, and donations from people both in and outside of the community will include tours of the Abeadze Kyeakor Village, and the Slave Castles.
Paul Allen Billings of 103.7 says it’s been at the top of his bucket list to see to it that students from the area would get a chance to accompany him to West Africa, a trip he’s now made several times saying, ” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s famous speech, The Birth of a New Nation was inspired after King visited Ghana and I wouldn’t be surprised if these students traveling to Africa return too with ideas to help change their communities.”
According to Billings, the only thing the students were asked to contribute towards the trip is the promise to utilize what they’ve learned upon their return to help make Muskegon a better place.
Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou