Two Lake Country high school students need the community’s help to make their dreams of Arctic exploration come true.
Louisa and Leonie Steigenberger were recently selected to participate in a two-week adventure to the Great White North as part of the international Students on Ice program.
The program’s mandate is to educate youth about the importance of the world’s polar regions, and has taken more than 2,500 students and staff on its expeditions to both the north and south poles.
Leonie started a GoFundMe page to fund their journey, she said, as it costs $13,000 for each of them to attend.
This cost includes airfare from Ottawa to the start of the ship journey in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, pre-expedition training, all shipboard educational programming (seminars, workshops, hands-on learning opportunities), all expedition equipment, meals, and zodiac land excursions to local Arctic communities, according to her GoFundMe page.
“We both decided to apply because it’s an amazing opportunity… it’s pretty exciting,” she said.
“We’re both very interested in First Nations culture and the culture up there and environmental awareness and the impact climate change is having on the Arctic,” Leonie said. “We love outdoor adventures as well.”
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Leonie said this is a chance for the pair to immerse themselves into the Aboriginal communities of the north.
“There’s a lot of scientists on board the ship as well, so you have that aspect (too),” she said.
Leonie, 16, said she would like to pursue the sciences as part of post-secondary education. As a German immigrant, she said she also wanted to explore parts of Canada she’s never visited.
The pair is also searching for business sponsors in the community.
Around 120 students were accepted into the program from all over the world.
To donate to the Steigenberger’s fundraiser visit https://www.gofundme.com/soi-sisters-to-the-canadian-arctic.
As of Friday night, the fundraiser has raised $426 out of its $26,000 goal.
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