AAA: Colo. 8th Graders Win European River Cruise

DENVER (March 8, 2023) - AAA - The Auto Club Group today announced the winners of its Discovery Crew travel contest for 8th graders, held last summer. Five of the 60 contest winners hail from Colorado, and they'll join students from across the country on an educational river cruise through the heart of Europe. 

Later this month, each winner and a chaperone will fly to Amsterdam, then sail together on an AmaWaterways river cruise through Belgium and the Netherlands. AAA partnered with AmaWaterways and Allianz Global Assistance to provide the river cruise, flights, travel insurance, and money for passports.

Interview opportunity: Several of these Colorado students are interested in sharing their story and their excitement about the trip. Reporters interested in a local story should contact Skyler McKinley at jmckinley@acg.aaa.com to schedule an interview. Because of their age, AAA is only releasing winners' first names and last initial. AAA will coordinate media interviews with winners upon request, pending availability. 

AAA Discovery Crew - Colorado Winners
• Elbert, Colo. - Piper B. 
• Fort Collins, Colo. - Ansel L. 
• Woodland Park, Colo. - Savannah M. 
• Centennial, Colo. - Henry S.
• Colorado Springs, Colo. - Sophia T.

This is the second time AAA - The Auto Club Group has hosted this contest. Reporters can click here for b-roll of the previous trip in 2019. 

This contest was open to all 8th graders throughout the 14 states that AAA - The Auto Club Group serves, including Colorado. 60 contest winners were selected after answering three essay questions and submitting a selfie showing their passion for travel. 

"We were amazed by the passionate responses from the many students who expressed their interest in going on this trip," said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA - The Auto Club Group. "The winners chosen are different in many ways, but each shares a similar enthusiasm for travel. Soon these students will immerse themselves in different cultures and see what it's like to be an 8th grader in two different countries. The students who attended the previous trip called this a life-changing experience, so we are excited to share this opportunity with another group of people."

During the trip, students will follow a customized itinerary with ports of call and shore excursions focused on local history, art, science, nature, and food. Besides sampling local cuisine and visiting historic landmarks like the Anne Frank House, students will enjoy tours that allow them to live out their passion for travel, like riding bicycles near the world-famous Holland windmills. On a more personal level, they will meet students at two different schools to see what life is like as an 8th grader in Belgium and the Netherlands.