The world is a big place and many of us have a bit of trouble finding our way around it.
A 2006 Geographic Literacy Study found that two-thirds of Americans ages 18 to 24 couldn't locate Iraq on a map. I can't find my car in the garage at the end of the day; it's only because I read so many travel guides -- and keep the National Geographic Atlas handy at my desk -- that I have even an average knowledge of geography.
But 14-year-old Peter Meehan, a North Harford Middle School student, has no such problems. He's a geo genius.
As one of 15 winners of the National Geographic Kids Hands-On Explorer Challenge, Meehan will take an expedition to Peru beginning Saturday.
The contest, for which Meehan had to write an essay about being a "hands-on explorer in the world" and include a photograph, received thousands of entries from students across the country. Meehan wrote about an experience he had close to home:
"Recently one of our trees fell in a storm. As I investigated the fallen debris, I found a frail bowl of twigs and grass. Nestled inside was an egg and two live baby robins. ... I couldn't imagine the helpless creatures outside the safety of a tree. So I delicately picked up the nest and placed it in an adjacent tree."
A few days later, he saw an adult robin in the nest tending to the chicks.
"This experience overwhelmed me with the feeling that I made a difference," wrote Meehan, who lives in Norrisville, near White Hall.
Needless to say, parents Marty and Michaelann Meehan are overwhelmed with pride.
"Those were his words. His own heart. He wrote it and revised it and revised it," said Michaelann Meehan, adding that her son is interested in traveling the world and learning about animals.
"I've always wanted to either go to Africa or the Amazon," said Peter Meehan. "And to get to do it at age 14 is a dream come true."
He's looking forward to learning about the different animal habitats and seeing giant river otters in Puerto Maldonado in southeastern Peru. In addition to the trip, Peter also won a new Nikon digital SLR camera, which the photography fan will use to document his visit.
The expedition team includes two teachers, tour guides and National Geographic photographers. Highlights of the 12-day trip include exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu; visiting the Tambopata Reserve in the Peruvian rain forest; and experiencing the culture and rituals of local people.
"I think for him, it could be a life-defining moment," said Marty Meehan, who is also packing his bags for Peru. Students were allowed to select a parent to accompany them on the expedition and Peter chose his father -- for good reason.
As he said, "My mom's not really into the whole bugs and other stuff in the Amazon."
