GIVE TO THE MAX - NOVEMBER 15

Please Remember our ClearCause When You Give to the Max on November 15!

Give MN November 15, 2012! Thank you for supporting ClearCause

Your generous support means the world to America’s Youth and Students on programs abroad!

Join us on November 15, Minnesota’s Give to the Max Day, and help us win a $1,000 Golden Ticket. GiveMN—an online giving website for Minnesota nonprofits— offers ClearCause 25 chances to maximize your gift on Give to the Max Day, Thursday, November 15!  To donate, please visit:   http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Clearcause?referral_code=share" HsTracking="Razoo

By making a donation on Give to the Max Day, your $10 or more gift helps us win an extra $1,000 to keep America’s youth and students safe abroad.  Your donation advances:

AWARENESS - A2f Pictures awarded ClearCause three riveting Public Service Announcements (PSAs). $10,000 is needed to promote these on cable television and other media.

ADVOCACY - ClearCause has the support of US Senators Franken (MN-D) and Klobuchar (MN-D), US Congressman Paulsen (MN-R), MN Governor Dayton and MN Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING - Parents and emergency contacts often do not have passports, funding, permissions, legal counsel or a plan when their student's trip goes bad.

FAMILY CRISIS FUND - Help us support families whose children are abused, hurt or killed abroad.

Together, we hope to raise more than $10,000 on Give to the Max Day.  We’re counting on your help!

Four Mothers Will Never Spend the Holidays with Their Child Again

Executive director Sheryl Hill was recently quoted in a USA Today article, "Death Highlights Risks of Study Abroad Programs."

Casey Schulman (VA), Morgan Lide (GA), Joshua Shane (AZ) and Ravi Thackurdeen (NY) will not be 'home' for the holidays ever again.  All four died in water accidents.

Comments like, "Most of them come back safe" aren't helping.  Most is not good enough for ClearCause.  There are no federal laws, oversight, minimum qualifications or standards, nor mandated transparent reporting in the youth travel and study abroad industry.  Some of these students are sponsored by US Department of State study abroad grants using your tax dollars.

Parents seeking information about the tragic death of their children are often met with silence as Universities are warned by their attorneys to avoid lawsuits.  Sadly, many parents are left no alternatives but to file lawsuits to get information about their child's death.

Tragically, history repeats itself.  Students and other Americans have drowned on the same unmarked beaches.  American's be warned - a stroll along a hazardous beach where the sand can wash out from underneath you, and the undertow drag you out into treacherous waters - particularly during monsoon season in remote areas, can cost you your life.

Water safety is getting the attention of study abroad programs. Perhaps the lives of these aspiring young students will herald warnings to save others.  More needs to be done.

Our hearts go out to their family, friends and community. Safety means the world to youth and students abroad.

ClearCause Foundation Receives 2012 Best of Business Nomination

ClearCause is honored to be nominated for SBCA's Best of Business 2012.

The Small Business Community Association (SBCA) promotes a vibrant and growing small business community, supports education that will preserve and extend the future of small business and uses our gifts within the small business community to serve others for the betterment of our world.

The SBCA Community vision is to enthusiastically advance small businesses in three key areas:

• Growth– To assure a vibrant and growing small business community, our goal is to introduce, engage and mature the next generation of small business owners.
• Advocacy–We feel it is fundamental to support education and action outside the small business community that will preserve and extend the future of small businesses.
• Compassion–We believe it is essential that we use our gifts within the small business community to serve others for the betterment of our communities and world.

We are honored to be part of the elite SBCA Best of Business within our first year of operation!  Thank you!  Using our gifts to keep America's youth safe abroad.

Three Boston University Students Killed in New Zealand Crash

Three Boston University students, Daniela Lekho, Roch Jauberty and Austin Brashears, lost their lives Saturday, May 12, 2012 near Taupo, New Zealand when the minivan they were traveling in rolled over.

Road fatalities in New Zealand are among the highest in the world, particularly for young inexperienced students.  On a per capita basis New Zealand is alongside Cambodia, Malaysia, Lithuania and Slovenia.

Unfortunately, despite the high road fatalities in New Zealand, their national government permits any foreigner to drive with the permit they were issued ‘back home’ for up to twelve months.

Road-fatality figures from 33 countries released by the International Transport Forum (ITF) reveal that New Zealand has the seventh-highest ratio of deaths per billion vehicle kilometers traveled and is the ninth highest in the world in per capita deaths.

ClearCause Chief Security Advisor, Ed Lee, has lived and worked in left-hand-drive nations the majority of his life. He said, "Converting to left-hand-drive from right-hand-drive is no easy task, particularly given the condition and challenging terrain found in New Zealand."

"I swerved to avoid a wild pig some years ago.  My minivan flipped over the edge of the road after the gravel edge collapsed. I had to climb out through broken glass in the rear window as I was trapped inside the car with petrol spilling out. I am happy to have made it out alive and able to celebrate Mother's Day today." Said Elizabeth.  She gave Ed Lee a New Zealander's perspective on road hazards:

• New Zealand roads are not like those in North America or Europe; they are narrow, curvy and mostly two lanes.
• They are designed poorly, not accounting for sun glare, which is severe.
• Few of them have shoulders, just crumbly gravel edges, easy to plunge over, no guard rails.
• Kiwis are impatient and aggressive drivers passing in places they should not.
• There is a lot of rain and wind.  Autos sitting high on their axles like SUVs and minivans are more unstable in these conditions.
• Kiwis have high rates of drunken driving and cannabis use per capita. School bus drivers, lorry drivers and adventure tourism operators should be drug tested and are not.
• Cyclists also use the roads with no shoulder.
• Many roads are elevated with few guard rails increasing risks.

ASIRT: The Association for Safe International Road Travel has valuable road safety information for more than 100 countries.

YOU NEED TO KNOW - Minnesota Deputy Secretary Jim Gelbmann

There is a statute in Minnesota that gives the Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie, the power to sanction programs who place foreign exchange students in harms way: MN Statute 5A.01-07

Deputy Secretary Jim Gelbmann, is one of the champions behind the law.  Minnesota Representative Phyliss Kahn sponsored the bill. Mr. Gelbmann's interview with WCCO's Don Shelby explains why and how the law came about.  The law gives Minnesota the power to investigate and terminate registrations of organizations that don't meet standards set by the state of Minnesota. Similar law to protect Minnesota students going abroad are non-existent.

When ClearCause director, Sheryl Hill, asked Secretary of State Deputy Director, Jim Gelbmann, to expand the law to include Minnesota Students going abroad he said, "It makes sense."

It may be too late for the law to enact this year.  Look for Minnesota - a national leader in child protection to step up.  Please write to Minnesota's Secretary of State and thank him, and Jim Gelbmann, for stepping up. Ask your state's representative to enact similar law - Secretary of State.

Safe Global Youth Travel - let them see the world, safely.

Welcome - Retired CIA Patti Weber

We are so honored to welcome Patti Weber to ClearCause Foundation's Advisory Board.      Ms. Weber currently lives and works in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Her partner in Pierce-Weber Partnership, LLC, Deborah Pierce, retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Senior Executive Service.  On May 1, 2012 Ms. Weber becomes President of the 105 year-old Woman's Club of Minneapolis.

Patricia A. Weber retired from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Senior Intelligence Service in 2004, after a 31 year career in operations.  Prior to joining CIA Ms. Weber served with the Department of State at the US Embassies in Paris and Bangkok.  As a Senior CIA executive and operations officer, Ms. Weber managed several staff and operational elements in the National Clandestine Service (NCS).  In her last position prior to leaving the Agency her broad portfolio included working with the U.S. military and other federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies on such front page issues as watch listing terrorists and information sharing.

As the senior policy manager for the NCS she also was responsible for information management and technology issues as Chair of the IT Oversight Board.  In a previous position as Chief of the NCS Human Resources Staff, she spearheaded a remake of the competency based personnel system, managed the training and deployment of new employees as well as the promotion panels for senior grades, and helped to revamp the basic operational training courses.  Prior to these senior staff assignments Ms. Weber served abroad in Asia, ran the course for hostile environment operations, and headed up several elements providing operational guidance and support to overseas components.

Ms. Weber grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota and received her B.S. in Political Science and Government from American University, Washington, DC.  She also completed the program “Leadership in a Democratic Society” at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia and was a member of the 1998 Director of Central Intelligence’s Intelligence Fellows Program.  She received several Exceptional Performance Awards throughout her career and was awarded the Agency’s highest retirement award, the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, upon her retirement.  She also received the US Secret Service Director’s Recognition Award.

Ms. Weber continues to serve on the Director of National Intelligence’s Senior Diversity Advisory Panel for the Intelligence Community.

Welcome Kacie Griffith, Social Media Manager Intern

Social Media Manager

For the past year ClearCause has invested heavily in some pretty heavy hitting social media talent.  We're grateful for the support, outreach and life lessons.  You'll find ClearCause in the cool 'SoMe' places: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Causes, Blogs and more.

Meet Kacie - ClearCause Social Media Manager.  Kacie is a 2012 graduate at Colorado State University earning a degree in business administration.  Go Rams!  She shares many memories growing up with Tyler Hill, the inspiration of ClearCause Foundation.

At CSU Kacie was Captain and All American College Hockey Association player for Colorado Ram’s women’s Ice Hockey Team.  Kacie championed many hockey fundraisers and managed all of her team’s accounts and social media outlets.

On June 6, 2011, the anniversary of Tyler Hill's 20th birthday and ClearCause's official launch, Kacie initiated a fan page, "Celebrating a Life Worth Remembering."  Hundreds of Ty's school mates and friends wore a memorial "Walking on Sunshine" bright yellow tee shirt, took photos, and posted shout-outs on the Facebook wall. Compassion and talent healed broken hearts around the world.

She's smart! She's athletic! She's Savvy! She's authentic and transparent! In one week, Google analytics and Facebook Insights reflect a 400 percent increase in reach.  Kacie is dedicating her time and talent to ClearCause Foundation – sharing a vision of SAFE GLOBAL YOUTH TRAVEL for all.

WELCOME!

Welcome Julie Nekola - Outreach Director

JULIE NEKOLA
ClearCause Foundation Outreach Director

Julie Nekola manages all ClearCause policies and procedures, DataBank, accounting, and outreach for ClearCause Foundation.  She is an accomplished author with more than three decades of award winning experience as a technical writer with Cargill.  Julie is recognized as a customer advocate who is dedicated to quality and continuous improvement.  Julie enjoys time with her family and two dogs, scrapbooking, crafting and celebrating holidays with friends and family when she isn't diving into the next big deal for ClearCause.

YOU NEED TO KNOW - Binge Drinking Kills

The Center for Disease Control reports that "about 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks."  TODAY stated that up to 42% of college students binge drink.

Binge drinking caused 19 year old star student Molly Amman's death.  Her friends put her to bed to sleep it off but she never woke up.  She's not alone.

Salvador Guevara Preciado, was found dead at a friend’s house on Saturday near school.  He might have survived a night of binge drinking had others sought medical help for him.  South California NBC News reported, "The Los Angeles Unified School District has launched an administrative investigation after allegations surfaced that a seasonal assistant football coach may have driven Preciado from the party to another friend's house, but did not alert the family nor school officials of the boy's condition."

Hundreds of American students die every year from alcohol poisoning.  The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours.

Schools and fraternity's are being held accountable by parents who are suing wrongful death.  Parents of Michael Starks, a Utah State University student who died of alcohol poisoning in a 2008 fraternity hazing sued for wrongful death.  His parents dropped the lawsuit when the University committed to make changes.

Alcohol is a primary contributor to date rape.  Mob mentality, peer pressure, group think are often blamed for alcoholic inebriation.  You are trusting your friends with your life and health when you binge drink.  Average emergency room costs for binge drinking detox is $1,300 a night. It's less expensive than a funeral.  Passing out from alcohol can be deadly.

On abroad programs - health insurance may not cover alcohol and drug 'incidents'.

On a sandy beach in Cabo, Mexico during April 2012 spring break, a man with megaphone calls out to students strolling the beach, "First two Kamikaze's on us!"  There are many takers.  Kamikaze defines a suicide mission.  Rightly so.

The Last Student

In early 2011, political turmoil had taken its toil on Egypt and University of Minnesota officials quickly evacuated their three students who were completing study abroad programs there. However, they forgot one.
When Stacey Tsantir, the university’s director of international health, safety and compliance, found out that there was a University of Minnesota student stuck in the Cairo airport, Tsantir said, “Surely, he’s not our student.” But the student was from the University of Minnesota and there was no record that he had even left campus, Tsantir said, although the university advises their faculty members to report student travel.
After contacting the student, Tsantir said she called the student’s mother. “The first words out of her mouth were, ‘I didn’t think anyone cared about my son,’” said Tsantir. "If that's not close to my worst nightmare, I don't know what is." The student eventually made it safely home, but this story has added to higher education officials’ growing oversight of international travel.
According to an article called "Tracking Travel", political unrest in the Middle East and natural disasters in Japan are recent tragedies that have highlighted the risks in sending students abroad without proper training and safety procedures. "If someone's injured or hurt, the question is always going to be asked of the university, 'Shouldn't you have known?' " said Bill Powell, an area executive vice president for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. who specializes in higher education.
The number of students studying overseas has more than doubled since the 1990s, according to the Institute of International Education, a New York-based nonprofit. Close to 274,000 students left the U.S. during the 2010-2011 academic year, up from about 130,000 in 1998-1999.
While abroad, many students conduct research, work internships or volunteer in service work outside of the academic year. Students are also choosing to travel to more countries. The top 15 destinations in 2010-2011 included England, France, Brazil, India and Mexico. South Korea, recently threatened by its nuclear-armed neighbor to the north, was No. 23 on the list, attracting nearly 2,500 U.S. students.
Tsantir, who also serves on the ClearCause Foundation’s board of directors, said that the University of Minnesota’s policy regarding students studying abroad was put in place in 2004 and urges faculty to make sure that students develop an emergency communication plan, obtain international health insurance and take other safety precautions before leaving the United States. Tsantir said that about 99 percent of undergraduates and their advisors follow this policy, while only 75 percent of graduate students comply with the policy. The University of Minnesota has approximately 65,000 students in their five campuses with about 5,000 students traveling abroad in any given year. Without the necessary tools and safety preparations for their time abroad, these students may be at huge risk while overseas.


Source:
Berg, Joel. "Tracking Travel." RiskAndInsurance.com. LRP Publications, 1 May 2013. Web. 5 June 2013. <http://www.riskandinsurance.com/story.jsp?storyId=533353998>.

YOU NEED TO KNOW - About Crispin Scott

Developing: Spanish Authorities Say Dartmouth’s Crispin Scott ’13 was Drugged and Murdered in Barcelona

BY J.K. TROTTER | FEBRUARY 11, 2012 AT 7:19 PM

"Unfortunately, this is another sad story with date, name and location changes.  Perhaps my perspective is different from some, but tragedies such as this have linkage to diminished university managerial oversight and the failure of pre-departure parental and student education. Although many universities view college students as "adults," they are only adult-sized. Understandably, they lack experience, particularly when catapulted into a culture not of their own. Sadly, these types of incidents will continue to occur until such time as assumptions [are not made]. Responsibility for oversight should fall with the Feds."  ClearCause Chief Security Officer Ed Lee

YOU NEED TO KNOW - Foreign Exchange Students Molested

Foreign Exchange Students in America Molested & Abused

Hope you caught Brian WIlliams on NBC Rock Center, March 2012!

This investigative report uncovered dozens of cases of sexual abuse and mistreatment of foreign exchange students by their American host parents, highlighting the need for transparent reporting and thorough research when selecting a program overseas.

Sadly - similar laws to protect American Students abroad are nonexistent. This is why we hope you will sign our petition on the right bar of this page.

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Let them see the world, keep them safe!

Ask the Expert - Spring Break SafeTY by Neil Huotari

StaySafe on Spring Break

We are coming up on spring break. For many students, with or without family, this means a vacation abroad.  Do you have an emergency plan?  Trip Insurance?   Who will get to you if something happens? Have you left a power of attorney with your parents to advocate for your healthcare if you are over 18?  

Spring Break Safety Tips:

• Register your trip on the US State Department so your embassy consulate knows where you are and can reach you if necessary.
• Avoid all demonstrations or other civil disturbances; leave the area
  immediately if caught in an impromptu assembly
• If you are staying at a resort, use a shuttle, do not rent a car. If going on tours, work with the resort to set up transportation.  DO NOT just flag down a cab.  Resist traveling at night, especially alone.
• Be aware of your surroundings on a busy streets, city parks, or at a shopping mall.
• If traveling with children, your levels of security awareness and supervision need to be heightened.
• Take note if someone is paying a lot of attention to your children or your family.
• Limit cellular phone and technology use to avoid being distracted.  Keep cellular phone charged to report suspicious activity.
• Petty thieves prey on travelers, especially on those who appear lost, confused or alone in an unfamiliar environment.
• Avoid carrying a purse or wallet. You will often be in crowded areas that are prime hunting grounds for pickpockets and purse snatchers. If you need your wallet keep it in your front pocket. Keep valuables locked in a room safe.
• Deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money, buy airline tickets or purchase souvenirs. Change currency at a bank, or use a debit card.
• Make a copy of your passport and keep the real passport in the room safe.
• Avoid walking alone at night. If you must: A) Don't take shortcuts or go off well-traveled roads, B) If disorientated, ask directions only from individuals of obvious authority, C) Do not accept rides from strangers or new acquaintances.
• If you are traveling outside the US, you should spend time researching the region, city and neighborhood you are going to be staying in.

I have stated many times in my travel security seminars, “Going to Germany is much different than going to Mexico.” At a minimum, look at the following risks: violence, civil unrest, corrupt or reliable police, terrorism risks and past/present health conditions of the area. Once you pick your location, then it is time to do homework - as we say in the security business, Intel gathering.

A week ago, I completed a trip security report for a couple going to an exclusive resort approximately 30 miles from a city in Mexico. I looked at Mexican electronic area news media outlets, free private security reports, State Department websites and other country government Internet sites to get a feel of what has been happening there recently.

Particularly in Mexico, or any other potentially dangerous vacation spots, you need to know - extremely well - what the security climate is. These Internet sites told me there were 2 drug cartel hits in the area this past year.  No tourists were targeted or hurt in the crossfire. I also discovered most crime was non-violent and committed at night, so be aware of pick-pocketing and the need to lock up valuables in your hotel room safe.  There are cases of hotel rooms being broken into where electronic devices, credit cards and money are stolen.

CHECK OUT "UP MY STREET" in the Resources tab.

What to Look for in a Safe Hotel

• If possible, select a hotel with modern electronic guest room locks. The majority of these locks automatically change the lock combination with every new guest so there is little chance of someone having a duplicate key to your room. If you lose or misplace your key, ask to have your room re-keyed immediately.
• Is each room equipped with a dead bolt lock and a peephole?
• Are fire sprinklers in hotel rooms, hallways, and meeting rooms? Likewise for smoke detectors, escapes and extinguishers? A sprinkling system could save your life abroad.  You don’t want to rely on a foreign fire department to get out of the hotel in case of fire!
• Rooms above the eighth floor cannot generally be reached by fire department escape ladders.
• Each room telephone should allow outside dialing.
• Guest phones located in hallways and lobbies should not allow direct room dialing. Anyone using the phone should have to call the operator and request a room by guest name, not room number.
• Secure locks on windows and adjoining doors.
• Well-lit interior hallways, parking structures and grounds.
• Hotels that limit access. Generally the more limited the access the less likely a trespasser will enter.
• The parking garage should not have elevators taking passengers to guest floors. It should stop only at the lobby.
• Does hotel provide personnel trained in guest security that are available for escorts to rooms and auto when requested?
• Are the balconies to code?  Many Americans die abroad from leaning over unsafe balconies.
• Is the hotel located in a high crime rate area, especially when traveling overseas? Check with the US Embassy's Resident Security Officer in that country and they can alert you of areas to stay away from.
• On Arrival & Check-In
• If you arrive in a bus or cab, stay with your luggage until it is brought into the hotel lobby.
• Keep a close eye on your luggage, purse, etc., when checking in. If the lobby is busy, thieves will often take advantage of the distractions to take your things with them.
• If you are staying in an older room which still has the older guest door locks with metal key, one of first signs of how a hotel treats the issue of security is to observe how hotel room keys are controlled. If it is checkout time and a pile of metal room keys are laying on the front desk, the hotel is not too concerned about your security. Anyone can take and key lying on the desk. This is not a big concern if the hotel is using electronic key cards but is if the metal keys have the room number embossed on it. You will find this more prevalent overseas.
• Ask the front desk personnel not to announce your room number. Rather, tell them to write it down or point to it. If the desk clerk should do this, explain the problem and asked to be given another room. You never know who is listening. Your room number is a matter of security, and the fewer people that know your whereabouts, the better. There’s no need to announce it to the entire hotel lobby.
• When registering, sign only your last name and first initial. Don’t use titles or degrees. Makes it harder to determine gender, marital status or profession. If you are a women traveling alone, you might consider booking your room as Mr. and Mrs.
• Don't leave your credit card lying on the check-in counter while you complete your registration. Also make sure the credit card that is handed back to you by the hotel clerk is really yours.
• Instruct the desk not to give out your name and room number and ask for them to call you if someone inquires about you.
• Immediately upon check in, get two business cards or matchbooks with the hotel name and address on them. Place one by the phone in the room so you know where you are and keep the other on you when you leave so you know where to come back to. If you get lost, you have the address and phone number handy.

Before you go – click StaySafe tab and read more.

OOH for GOOD!

There really isn't enough gratitude in the words:  Thank You!  

Thank you OOH for GOOD for collaborating with Circle Graphics and ClearChannel to create a platform that helps ClearCause uses OOH for GOD to inform and protect America's students about the inherent risks of student travel, exchange and study abroad opportunities in two ad campaigns, Study Afraud and Exotic Youth Travel.

Social media is great, but there is something about the lasting effect of signage on billboards, at bus stops and in airports.  OOH for GOOD signage has staying power.  ClearCause inform the public that safety means the world to youth and students going abroad.

OOH for Good partnered with ClearCause to place billboards and signage across America.  You may have seen our Study Afraud and Exotic Youth Travel campaigns on billboards from California to Maryland.

We are so very Grateful!