Fairfield Student Hopes to Become Town's Ambassador

Samantha Strelzer is one busy 13 year-old girl.

Strelzer, an eighth grader at , plays tennis, percussion, the piano, figure skates, earns high honors and is an active Girl Scout.

Her latest endeavor will take her to France, Italy, and Greece as a goodwill ambassador representing Fairfield.

Strelzer was recently anonymously nominated for the People to People Ambassador program, a non-profit, global experience that has been contributing to young leadership since President Dwight Eisenhower founded it in 1956.

In July, Strelzer and a group of other students from the region will travel to Europe and meet with government officials, perform community service and environmental projects, and live with local families.

Strelzer hadn’t heard of the program before she was nominated. She went to an open house about the trip and became “very excited.”

“It was President Eisenhower’s vision that each person can make a difference and help to achieve peace through understanding,” Strelzer said on the web page she created for her part in the program.

Two requirements of the program are Strelzer must pay her way to and from Europe and demonstrate leadership in her home community before traveling abroad. She has been coordinating several fundraisers and “goodwill projects” to meet those requirements and has been met with support from Fairfield citizens and businesses.

“They encourage us to be self-sufficient,” Strelzer said.

One project, which Strelzer orchestrated earlier this month, was the People could “adopt” stuffed bunnies at a booth Strelzer manned during the Old Navy Woman Fair. The bunnies will be delivered to children via Operation Hope on April 3, just in time for Easter.

Strelzer has to put together another one or two goodwill projects before she heads across the pond. So far she’s planned a large multi-family tag sale on in late April and will host another booth event for the last weekend in April. This will feature a raffle (one prize is a trip to the Caribbean) and a chance to register children for the Amber Alert system.

Those interested in supporting Strelzer’s effort to spread goodwill in Europe can contact her via email (p2pconnecticut@gmail.com) or visit her People to People web page.

Editor’s Note: Strelzer wishes to thank all who have helped or sponsored her so far in her efforts to participate in the People to People Ambassadorship: Elite Island Resorts, , , Dr. Oresta Bilous, , , , , , , , LG Nail Salon, , , , , , , the , The Home Organizer, and Jim Royle Drum Studio in Bridgeport.