JACKSON YOUTH, ADULTS HEAD FOR EUROPE

HEARTFELT HUGS: Erika Beasley and a family member exchanged a hug prior to departure Thursday. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans

ALL SMILES: Katie Clark and Meredith Lape posed with family members before boarding their buses Thursday. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans

For 14 Jackson High School students and several local adults, the second half of June will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

These Jacksonites -- along with some 200 Cape Girardeau residents -- will be part of a Missouri Ambassadors of Music troupe, making a 16-day good will tour of Europe. The singers and musicians will perform in England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Germany before returning home June 30.

"It ought to be a wonderful, wonderful trip for these kids," said Nick Leist, long-time JHS band and Jackson Municipal Band director. "It's really exciting."

Leist and his wife Judy are among the adults going. The adults will not only chaperone the teens, but will perform as well. Other adults include the Rev. Sam and Mary Lee Roethemeyer and Matt Roethemeyer, Christy and Geoff Shinn, Pat Palisch, Scott Vangilder and Laverne Gross. Beth Roethemeyer, currently studying in England, will meet the group there.

The group members pulled out of the Southeast Missouri State University campus Thursday morning, bound for Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. They were to arrive in London Friday morning, where they stayed at the Barbican Hotel. Windsor Castle will be among the first sites seen by the groups.

Leist indicated that the Jackson people will be able to stay in the same group throughout the European trip. Five buses will be in use during the trip.

After thoroughly experiencing England, the Ambassadors will do their English concert tonight at Wesley's Chapel. Monday the groups will take a ferry from Dover to Calais, France and will be in Paris by the evening. The Paris concert will be Tuesday. Among the highlights will be visiting the Eiffel Tower Wednesday.

Most days have free time built in, for small groups to seek out their own adventures -- in the company of at least one adult.

Thursday the group heads for Chapery, Switzerland, where the concert will be given Friday night. The Castle of Chillon and the mountain splendor of Zermatt and Schwarzsee will be among the Swiss activities.

The travelers will experience three countries Sunday, June 25. The group will visit Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy. An Austrian concert will be given June 26 at the Karwendelhof Hotel in Innsbruck.

It will be on to Italy June 27. The choir will perform in the Basilica. Germany will then be on the docket for June 28. A sobering visit to the Nazi death camp at Dachau will be part of the educational experience.

The groups will be staying in the ancient walled city of Rothenburg. The Ambassadors will perform June 29 in Rothenburg, before embarking at the Frankfurt International Airport June 30 (German time) and returning home June 30 (CST).

JHS band students going are Arika Lucy, Patrick Martin, Christina Miskell, Matt Palisch, Chad Schuessler, Billy Schwent, Shelly Stover and Ryan Vangilder. Choir members going are Erika Beasley, Cailin Bricknell, Katie Clark, Paul Gholson, Meredith Lape and Brent Lewis.