By Diane Mar Nicole

This month, eight young adults aged 17-21 will severely test their limits as they attempt to run nearly 400 kilometers of the Kalahari Desert in the Republic of Botswana. 

As youth ambassadors for impossible2Possible (i2P), an organization that aims to inspire and educate youth through adventure-learning expeditions, they’ll also be engaged in addressing academic challenges posed by SFU chemistry professor George Agnes.

Water availability and use in Botswana is the foundational topic of this expedition. The participants will explore the many competing issues for this precious resource including biodiversity, land-use rights and human economic development.

“Our partnership with i2P is an example of experiential learning at its best,” says Agnes.

“The expedition’s curriculum is free to schools on the i2P website for those who want to participate in their home classrooms, follow the youth ambassadors’ field activity and communicate with them during their daily report via satellite.

“I’m representing the Faculty of Science and the university in exploring ways to attain outstanding standards of academic excellence in leadership curricula designed and disseminated for varied audiences.”

In 2011, Agnes took part in i2P’s expedition to the altiplano region of Bolivia. He designed the curricula around lithium, which is commercially harvested from the Salar de Uyuni for use as a core compound in the batteries that power cell phones and other mobile electronic devices. “These expeditions offer physical challenge, academics and leadership, making them a meaningful and lasting experience for the youth ambassadors.”

The i2P team will begin its expedition Oct. 30 and aims to complete the trip Nov. 8. To register your school or to apply as a student ambassador for future expeditions, visit www.impossible2Possible.com.