Maria Russo and John Harvey, a teacher from Wilson Area High School, Easton, are planning a trip.

They are the delegation leaders for a group of high schoolers who will be in Australia July 9-28.

Their journey, under the auspices of the People to People Ambassadors program, will begin in Sydney and end at the Great Barrier Reef.

The People to People program was begun by President Dwight Eisenhower as a peaceful way to improve relations with Russia.

He wanted to show high school students that even during the Cold War people could still respect and enjoy each other.

Since then, the program has expanded.

Russo said elementary, middle school and adults are ambassadors and the programs go to locations all over the world.

While in Australia, the students will visit GinGin State School.

Lunches are served to every People to People Ambassador's group that visits Australia. This fundraiser has paid for a Friendship Pavilion.

Students, wearing red T-shirts while traveling, will leave from Philadelphia, with a stopover in Los Angeles, Calif., and then it is on to Australia.

Cyrina Swanston of Allentown, who has never visited another country, wants to go for the experience.

She received a letter inviting her to join the program.

Participants are nominated by teachers, are members of the National Honor Society or are contacted because peer leaders nominate them.

The group was asked what they most looked forward to, and the frequent answer was the Great Barrier Reef.

However, also included were the food, cliff climbing, the Sydney Opera House and one said he was "ready for anything."

"As a student ambassador you will not only see the world but the world will see you," said Russo, adding on one flight former President Jimmy Carter was traveling and he took time to talk to the students.

Students were given a lesson on money conversion. Australia calls its money the Australian dollar, but money will only be needed for snacks and souvenirs.

The students were told to keep part of their money in U.S. dollars but change the remainder before leaving the states.

Australians are friendly and like Americans, Russo said adding the language is easy.

"If we all look out for each other, the trip will be much easier," Russo said.

State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-134th, spoke to the students about the Australian parliamentary government.

Australia has six states with a democratic federal government, he explained. Voting is required with fines levied for not voting.

Ninety-five percent of people do vote. The legislature is elected and is the body, headed by an appointed governor general, who chooses a prime minister, equivalent to our president, Mackenzie said.

Australia was a former British colony and is still part of the Commonwealth of Nations with the Queen of England at its head, in a ceremonial position.

There are many political parties and the elected one has to form a coalition to gain a majority. Ths gives the smaller parties more power.

Department heads are called ministers and are equivalent to America's department secretaries. They can be in the legislature as well as being a minister.

The Liberal party believes in giving more freedom to the individual, much like the U.S. Republican party, while the Labor party is more progressive, like this nation's Democratic party.

Foreign policy is aligned with the United States, with strong protection for the environment.

Elections are not at a set time period but can be called any time the officials in power are not doing an acceptable job.