Beginning with the summer 2024 trips to Europe and Washington, D.C., the Union City Rotary Club’s Student Travel Program will be open for application to Obion County juniors who are homeschooled in addition to those at Obion County Central High School, Union City High School and South Fulton High School. The Union City Rotary Club also announced they will begin working with Global Citizen Adventure Corps, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to cultivate global citizen leaders through education, travel, and service opportunities. The Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation fund the trip to Europe, and an anonymous donor funds the trip to Washington, D.C.

Selections of students for the trips are made after an application and interview process that begins with the student and at least one parent or guardian attending one of two information sessions that will take place at Discovery Park of America on Sun., Oct. 22, 2023 at 2 p.m. or Mon., Oct. 23, 2023 at 6 p.m.

The partnership with Global Citizens Adventure Corps will also allow participating students the opportunity to earn three hours of transferable college credit via Bethel University.

“The Union City Rotary Club’s student travel program has sent more than 200 students to Washington, D.C. and countries throughout Europe for a life-changing experience,” said Donny Bearden, the 2023 president of the Union City Rotary Club. “Having heard from many of these young people after their trip, I know it enriches their lives as they are exposed to people, places and things they’ve never even imagined.”

After an application is submitted, students will participate in an interview with members of the Union City Rotary Club’s student travel program selection committee on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. The 12 students selected for the Europe trip and 10 students selected for the Washington, D.C. trip will be notified that evening. The trips to Europe and Washington, D.C. are scheduled for late June or early July 2024.

Who: High School and Home School Juniors and at least one parent

What: Rotary Club’s Student Travel Program Information Session

When: Sun., Oct. 22, 2023 at 2 p.m. or Mon., Oct. 23, 2023 at 6 p.m.

Where: Discovery Park of America, 830 Everett Blvd., Union City, TN 38261

Obion County, Tennessee has been selected to host the 2024 Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference to be held October 21-23, 2024. Discovery Park of America will serve as the venue for the conference’s presentations, educational sessions and banquet.

This is the first time the county has been selected to host this annual event and the third time for the conference to be held in Tennessee. The Northwest Tennessee county was selected after a review process that included presentations in Cookeville, Tennessee by several other rural counties with a strong presence of tourism-related businesses and organizations.

In addition to Discovery Park, the Obion County proposal, created and presented by the Obion County Tourism committee, includes opportunities for attendees to experience Reelfoot Lake, White Squirrel Winery, Union City’s downtown, The Pavilion at Houser Creek Crossing and more.

The Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference takes place in a different rural community in Alabama, Mississippi or Tennessee each year. Attending will be around 250 individuals who work in tourism or economic development, members of city councils, elected officials or those who want to network with professionals in the tourism industry. Attendees experience educational sessions that allow them to learn ways to grow tourism in rural communities.

“I join our entire tourism community here in Obion County with excitement as we prepare to host this conference and roll out the red carpet,” said Steve Carr, Obion County, Tennessee Mayor. “From eagles to white squirrels and sunken cypress trees to dinosaurs, we have a lot to share, and I know those attending this conference are going to be impressed with their experience here in Obion County.”