The following feature on Obion County’s fortuneate students first appeared in the Union City Messenger. Written and photographed by Donna Ryder, the Messenger’s editor, the story is used by permission.
Twenty-four local high school students got to hear three lucky words in November — “You’ve been selected.”
A dozen students were chosen by the Union City Rotary Club for each of its annual trips to Europe and Washington, D.C. That’s two more than normal for the European trip, which has typically seen 10 students each year since its inception in 2009.
Among those students being provided with all-expense paid trips in the summer of 2025 are soon-to-be European travelers:
- Obion County Central High School — Areli Alonso of Troy, daughter of Maria Alonso; Ezra Gurien of Troy, son of James Gurien and Jolinda Gurien; Isabella Stephens of Union City, daughter of Adam Stephens and Jennifer Stephens; Jazmyn Anderson of Obion, daughter of Miranda Lewis; Hartleigh-Jo Cary of Rives, daughter of Joe-Brent Cary and Robbi Cary; and Emeri Lee of Kenton, daughter of Gregory Shaw and Jessica Ann White.
- South Fulton High School — Joseph Mathias of South Fulton, son of Bry-ant Mathias and Amanda Mathias.
- Union City High School — Byron Abbott of Union City, son of Byron Ab-bot and Cornita Counts; Kinsley Campbell of Union City, daughter of Kinvotie Campbell and Elisher Fisher; Brendyn Vazquez of Union City, son of Adan Vazquez-Martinez and Charalette Hubble-Vazquez; Marisela Sanchez of Rives, daughter of Joe Graves and Heather Graves; and Natalie Soto of Troy, daughter of Adrian Soto and Laura Soto.
- They will be joined by their chaperones: George and Shiloh Leake, both employees of the Obion County School System, and Bethel University professor Stacie Freeman.
Ms. Freeman is a founder of Global Citizen Adventure Corps, which is planning this year’s trips. Global Citizen Adventure Corps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to cultivate global citizen leaders through education, travel and service opportunities.
Among those selected to travel to Washington, D.C., are:
- OCCHS — Carson Homra of Troy, son of Kyle Homra and Amber Homra; Kerrigan Reynolds of Troy, daughter of Lance Reynolds and Martha Reynolds; Emma Rhodes of Troy, daughter of James Rhodes and Destiny Clark; and Poston Essary of Martin, son of Corry Essary and Eva Essary.
- UCHS — Addison Carr of Union City, daughter of Jarod Carr and Angie Carr; Gracie Worrell of Union City, daughter of Andrew Worrell and Katie Worrell; Trent Craddock of Union City, son of Chris Craddock and Kelli Craddock; Rylee Stone of Union City, daughter of Ryan Stone and Amy Stone; Nathan Finch of Troy, son of Bradd Finch and Amy Finch; Landon McAdams of Union City, son of Thomas McAdams and Kelsey McAdams; Rushdon Howell of Union City, son of Jessica Wagoner; and Gracie Sims of Union City, daughter of Thomas Sims and Kristi Sims.
- Their chaperones are Daniel and Michelle Johnston. He is a teacher in the Obion County School System and she is a nurse.
Rotarian Dr. Leland Davis said since 2009, Rotary, thanks to the late Robert Kirkland, has sent 145 students to Europe. There have been 120 students treated to trips to Washington, D.C., since that annual trip began in 2014.
Thirty-nine students were interviewed by a committee of Rotary Club members for the two trips in November. Students selected will also have the opportunity to receive college credit through Bethel.
Travelers to Europe will follow a similar itinerary as those who went this past summer, according to Ms. Freeman. In 2024, students visited London, Paris, Versailles, Lucerne, Grindelwald and Interlaken.
While students traveling to Europe have their plans made out for them, travelers to Washington, D.C., will get to build their own itinerary. In past years, those students have visited such places as the U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Institution Museums, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the White House, Botanical Gardens, the Library of Congress and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. They’ve also taken a train to New York, ridden on the Big Bus and tried their hand at Segways.
While away, students will not be allowed to bring electronics, including their cell phones, with one student allowed to call home each day to make a report to their parents, which will then relay information to other parents and The Messenger by email.
GOING TO EUROPE — Union City Rotary Club recently selected 12 local high school students, who will be joined by three chaperones, for an all-expense paid trip to Europe in summer 2025. Among those traveling to Europe will be (front, from left) chaperones George and Shiloh Leake and Stacie Freeman and students Natalie Soto, Marisela Sanchez, Kinsley Campbell, Emeri Lee, (back) Brendyn Vazquez, Byron Abbott, Isabella Stephens and Hartleigh-Jo Cary, along with (not pictured) Areli Alonso, Ezra Gurien, Jazmyn Anderson and Joseph Mathias.
CAPITAL BOUND — Union City Rotary Club recently selected 12 local high school students for an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., in summer 2025. The students, who will be joined by (front, from left) chaperones Daniel and Michelle Johnston, include Rylee Stone, Addison Carr, Gracie Worrell, Emma Rhodes, Kerrigan Reynolds, (back) Landon McAdams, Gracie Sims, Nathan Finch, Carson Homra and Rushdon Howell, along with (not pictured) Poston Essary and Trent Craddock.