Freshman nominated as People to People ambassador

WEST JORDAN — Camie Wilkerson is one of 40 student delegates nationwide nominated to represent her school and community as a People to People International ambassador in London in June.

Wilkerson, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Magna, is a freshman at Sunset Ridge Middle School in West Jordan. She was nominated as a student delegate by her reading teacher Tiffany Cook, and English teacher Jamie Van Leeuwen.

"I nominated Camie because she is a leader," said Cook. "I met her in my eighth-grade honors reading class and from day one she was head and shoulders above everybody else, from her maturity level to the way she looks at the things. She is a creative writer and her poetry is amazing. She is able to communicate well with other people and they want to listen to her and follow whatever she is doing. She works hard and is an ‘A’ student. She knows what she wants in life and cares passionately about her future and going to college."

Being an ambassador will be an opportunity for Camie to meet other people and see outside of her own world, "although she is already farsighted," said Cook. "She is outgoing and compassionate and cares deeply about making the world a better place and leaving her mark on it."

Wilkerson was touched by the recognition. "When I found out I was nominated, I was really happy that I was thought of that highly and that people thought I worked hard," she said.

People to People was started in 1956 by Hallmark founder Joyce Hall and was endorsed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. "The mission was to have U.S. citizens gain a better understanding and knowledge of different cultures and people, and by doing that we would sustain peace among the world," said Wilkerson. "People to People is based on understanding diversity and tolerance. I’m looking forward to this trip because there are a lot of stereotypes in the world and this will be a way to learn about new cultures and people’s everyday life. I really want to see different ways of life, which will help me expand my horizon and learn to better understand people in general. There will be highlights on my trip at every left and right turn.

"I am so grateful and blessed for this opportunity and I wouldn’t be going if it weren’t for my grandmother working so hard to help me raise the $6,000 needed for this trip," said Wilkerson. "She is awesome and I will do whatever I can to help her."

Le Wilkerson, Camie’s grandmother, is still in need of $5,000. "This will be a life-changing experience for Camie and I am very proud of her," she said. "We have been holding bake sales after the weekend Masses, and we will hold a silent auction and fashion show through the Our Lady of Lourdes Council of Catholic Women in February. The Knights of Columbus also have allowed Camie to set up a basket raffle on their bingo nights.

"Camie has had a difficult childhood," said Le Wilkerson. "Her mother died when she was 5 years old five days after giving birth to Camie’s younger brother. She didn’t have much of a childhood, and the experiences she has had so far in her life have made her strong. She wants to be a part of something that matters."

Camie Wilkerson wants to be a lawyer. "I believe it’s a difficult field to work in, but at the end of the day when you serve people and give them justice; looking out for the little guy is really what it’s all about," she said.