Haley Bakarich

Hello everyone, my name is Haley Bakarich. On June 15th, 2010, I graduated from McClatchy High School and started my life as an adult. How could I celebrate this occasion any better than going on a trip to Ghana? Well, there is no better way. This fall, I will be moving on to Sacramento City Junior College, and from there I hope to go to medical school and become a cosmetic/reconstructive surgeon. In all of my 18 years, I have never been out of the United States. When I’ve traveled, it’s been to places that were similar to where I live now, and I had everything handed to me while I was there. I’m very glad to be going on this trip before my life has to get serious! By going on this trip to Ghana, I hope to learn about other cultures and how other people live. I’m hoping to help as many people as I can while there, and to see as many new things as possible.


Terryia Davis

My name is Terryia Davis, I am a recent graduate of C.K McClatchy high school. This summer’s trip to Ghana will not only be my first trip outside the country but first plane ride as well, nonetheless I’m very excited. While there I hope to experience a culture outside of what I am used to. I am anxious and excited to have the opportunity to try new things especially new foods. I plan and hope to do everything possible while there and to be as open minded as possible.


Isaac (Izzy) Gardon

I fill my life with laughs, leadership, smiles, and optimism. I am the Vice President of my junior class, the Secretary Officer of Youth Third Saturday in Partnership with Sacramento News & Review, Programming Vice President of BISY, and I am also in the early process of starting my own nonprofit. I have an adventurous personality, and during the rare moments when I have some free time I enjoy biking, swimming, and going on hikes. I am putting my life on hold while in Ghana, yet I am absolutely stoked about the journey I’m about to embark on.

I have many hopes for my expedition in Ghana. I hope to experience a piece of Ghanaian life, culture, and perspective. I am going to disprove the often believed myth that Africa is exclusively filled with a slew of poor uneducated people. I hope to learn about Ghanaian leadership, cuisine, perspective, and culture. Most importantly I hope to learn from many Ghanaians that even through unfortunate situations we are all able to find our happiness in life.

I will reside in Ghana for a month. During those 28 days full of experiences I hope to broaden my perspective of the world as well as my own personal identity. It is my belief that this trip will make me a more informed and knowledgeable person on a level that cannot be tested.


Rebekka Gould

Hi, my name is Rebekka Masoner-Gould, and I am entering my senior year at C.K. McClatchy Senior High School. I was born on November 4, 1993, to Michelle Masoner and Dr. Richard Gould. I am the baby of the family and child number four. Throughout my life, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel the world with my family. I have been to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain, and Israel. Although all of these trips were leisure based, they opened up eyes to the unique and differing cultures of the world and also the poverty people face day-to-day in specific areas. After I graduate high school, I am not sure what I want be or where I want to go. I know that I want to help people for a living and be able to be in constant communication with the world around me.

I am almost dying from anticipation for my trip to Ghana. Some questions I have encountered when I tell people where I am going this summer are, Why there? Where is Ghana? What are you going to be doing there? Well, in response to these I have to say, going to Ghana provides me with the opportunity to explore a different culture and fully immerse myself in it, to help people first hand, to experience poverty, but also a wealth of culture, and also to learn how depend on a close group of people. I am excited to work through stereotypes and prejudices we all possess about thing unknown and work with varying communities throughout Ghana.


Sophie Hoover

My name is Sophie Hoover, and I am currently 16 years old but will be turning 17 during the trip. I will be a Senior at C.K. McClathcy High School in the fall. I grew up in Sacramento, California with my family after moving from Connecticut where I was born. I absolutely adore theatre, art, baking and just having a good time! Although this will be my first voyage overseas, I have travelled around North America with my family over the past few years.

I am looking forward to this trip to Ghana because I think it will be so interesting to see another part of the world. Like any American kid, I am aware of other cultures and how drastically different we live from others, but I have never experienced it first hand or understood why it is how it is. I believe that traveling to Ghana is definitely going to give me insight on the rest of the world, as well as humble me. I am really excited to experience another culture so different from my own, and open my mind to everything else that is out there.


Caitlin Matzke

Hello! My name is Caitlin Matzke and I’m a recent graduate of C.K. McClatchy. Since the first interest meeting for this trip I have been dreaming about just talking with the people I meet in Ghana. I want to take part in their everyday tasks and feel the sort of unity that has been forgotten in America. I can’t wait to explore all the different parts of Ghana and see the differences between the U.S. as well as ranges of lifestyles within the country. While there I plan on taking as many risks and trying as many new things as I can. I know everything I do will be an extremely unique opportunity and I want to take full advantage.


Elana Muldavin

Hello, my name is Elana Muldavin. This fall, I will be a senior at McClatchy High School. I have always been fascinated by cultures other than my own. As a young child, I played with multicultural dolls and read worldly tales. Although I’ve never journeyed overseas, my family and I have traveled within California, to other states, and even abroad to Canada and Mexico. Even though I have only seen a small percentage of the world, I greatly appreciate that I had the privilege to venture outside of Sacramento. However, I crave to see more. That is why I jumped upon this rare opportunity to visit Ghana; trips to Europe may come and go but the chance to spend a month in an often ignored part of the world is an offer that should not be overlooked. I am forever thankful to my parents for paying for my Ghanaian adventure, but more importantly for supporting me.

In Ghana, I hope to achieve a full cultural experience by fully immersing myself in Ghanaian lifestyles. I also am excited to help the locals because I’m proud of the donation materials we have gathered and cannot wait to see them off. I’m confident that submerging myself in Ghanaian life will be a fully humbling experience. Additionally, I expect that my experiences overseas will expand my knowledge and understanding of the world as well as my relationship to other cultures. Such awareness is the key to a peaceful and globally connected Earth, and I’m proud to be a part of it.


Jessica Peña

My name is Jessica Peña, I’m 17 years old and recently graduated from C.K.McClatchy High School. On my trip to Ghana this summer I’m hoping that everything I see and experience is completely foreign and new; I want to be as much out of my element and comfort zone as possible. I’m eager to witness a completely different perspective on life and incorporate that to accommodate and reshape my own for the better. I am hopeful see and meet people who radiate genuine concern and interest for others and their well being, rather than simply their own. I want to see and experience firsthand the relationships that the Ghanaian people have with each other. I’m anticipating to meet such extensively friendly and welcoming people that, despite the many obvious differences that may exist, they will make you somehow feel like your apart of them collectively; like equals. I want to immerse myself completely into the culture, seeing, smelling, tasting, and feeling things that I’ve never felt before. Aside from forming relationships with the Ghanaian people I am entirely excited to be able to from strong and long lasting bond with both the students and the chaperones. I have a great amount of optimism that I will see and experience all of this and much more.


Steven Redford



Hello, my name is Steven A. Redford and I am going to be a junior at C.K. McClatchy high school. I enjoy playing water polo and relaxing with my friends. I am the younger of two children. I have an older brother, Patrick. I really want to go on this trip because I think that it will be a life changing experience. I look forward to completely immersing myself in the culture of Ghana and learning firsthand about this wonderful and new place. I am really, really looking forward to this experience and I think that it will change my life in a positive way.



  Faculty Guides

The principal task of the faculty guides is to ensure smooth adherence to the itinerary whilst maintaining an environment conducive to successful implementation of the goals and objectives of the program.

Jeremy Predko

As a co-chaperone I am excited about making this trip a wonderful experience for the students. I was lucky enough to experience Africa when I was a teenager and it made me realize how wonderful the people are, how exciting the culture is, and how misunderstood the continent is in our own country. My experience was a life changing event and I understand how important it is for American students to establish their world view with actual experience; having enjoyed a trip to Ghana and Nigeria with my own son, I recognize the impact it has had in our lives as well as other students who have been part of our group for the previous two years.


Kevin Irwin-Diloreto (Dilo):

I am new to the teaching profession and currently teaching English on a long-term substitute assignment at my alma mater C.K. McClatchy (class of 2003), but my first love is History. I had the fortunate opportunity to be a student in co-leader Jeremy Predko’s World Cultures: Africa and Latin America course my sophomore year of high school. During that time and the years following, I have developed a great interest in experiencing and living among the many different cultures that inhabit this planet.

My travels thus far have exclusively been to Europe (having the opportunity to study abroad in Vienna, Austria and London, England), but I am very excited to have the chance to broaden my horizons with this experience in West Africa. My goals for the trip are numerous in scope, but my main objective is to ensure the group of students we have going with us this summer having a fulfilling and rewarding experience. I know how much my first trip to Europe changed my perspective about the rest of the world and I hope the students are eager to make a bigger and more positive contribution in their communities upon their return to the United States.


Nate Starace

Just finished my sixth year teaching in the Social Science department at C.K. McClatchy High School, I feel extremely lucky to be part of such a wonderful program and trip. This summer I will be the "home team" part of the program. I am looking forward to hearing about the fantastic experiences and passing them along to all those that follow the blog. My goal is to offer support and help as much as possible from California.