Petersburg 11-year-old to become world traveler

PETERSBURG -- Brenton Baugh is about to embark on a journey that might not have been possible just a few years ago.

The rising sixth-grader at Peabody Middle School was reserved when he was younger, rarely speaking to others or leaving his parents' side.

But that has changed.

Brenton, 11, is maturing into an outgoing, inquisitive young man who talks a mile a minute.

"The way he mixes with people, asks questions and ventures out from us is overwhelming," said his mother, Wanda Baugh. "It's a joy to see how much progress he's made."

Now, Brenton, who recently completed the fifth grade at Walnut Hill Elementary School, is about to become a world traveler.

He leaves Petersburg on Thursday to spend nearly two weeks in England and France as a delegate for the People to People Student Ambassador Program. Students from other localities throughout central Virginia are participating, but the program would not release their names, citing privacy issues.

It's a trip Brenton said he is excited about taking and his goal is "having a great time then coming back and telling my parents about it."

The People to People program was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote cultural understanding and world peace.

Once he crosses the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, Brenton will receive first-hand knowledge about British and French cultures, including the countries' cuisines. He may even get to try escargot, a French delicacy, he said.

To be chosen for this rare experience, Brenton went through a selection process that includes an interview and three letters of recommendation.

"We rely on this selection process to help us accept the best students and ensure that they are appropriate candidates for the program," said Adrien Fox, executive assistant of marketing and technology for the People to People Ambassador Programs.

Before leaving, Brenton was given quizzes about his destinations, "to get a certificate of knowledge that he [was] familiar with various cultures, government and social events," said his father, Aaron Baugh.

Educators at the elementary school say Brenton is deserving of this recognition. He makes the grade in the classroom -- achieving the A-B honor roll -- and is conscientious about his schoolwork.

Described as a well-rounded student, Brenton succeeds in athletics as well. He plays football and basketball and took up karate when he was 4, becoming a first-degree black belt.

"He's a great representative. He's just a great kid," said Jackie Breidenbach, a teacher at Walnut Hill.

To pay for the $5,000 trip, Brenton raised the funds himself, receiving donations from friends and family.

He'll share his experiences from Europe with his teachers and classmates when school resumes in September.

"What he gleans from this experience, he'll share with everybody else," said Zelda Lynch, principal of Walnut Hill Elementary.

Brenton gets an added bonus -- two weeks away from his parents. But he is not worried about traveling without them.

"I'll miss them," he said, "but I'm not scared."

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or .