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THEIR STORIES / Aggelos & Melina, Kastellorizo
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Exploring new opportunities

Aggelos & Melina from Kastellorizo
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS - SANTRAPE High School of Kastellorizo
16 July, 2023

Aggelos and Melina live in Kastellorizo, which, although a remote Greek island, offers them many joys with their friends, social gatherings, and families, while they attend the Junior High School with Senior High School classes on the island.

Aggelos enjoys painting, traveling, and "countless dives into the sea!"He seeks to spend his free time with his friends and dedicates part of his day to taking walks with his younger brother. At school, he always wants to explore new ideas and acquire new knowledge, as he believes, "they will surely prove useful to me in the future!" He emphasizes  the importance of his relationship with his teachers, whom he can turn to for advice and guidance. He recalls being one of the first students to participate in The Tipping Point program at his school, and has since taken part in many sessions where he heard interesting information from mentors and gained new perspectives about different professions. "I learned about various professions, studies, and working conditions," he continues, explaining how this helped him realize which professions he likes and start shaping his career choices. He particularly highlighted sessions that focused on the lives and activities of people on the island. "[The program] is a good way for students to receive advice so that we can choose our professional orientation!" As he shared, living in the remote Kastellorizo, it is not always easy to access information and people outside the small social environment the students grow up in. Through the program, Aggelos had the opportunity to meet mentors, established professionals, whom he would not have otherwise met, and explore new career options. He also observes how The Tipping Point program has helped him strengthen his social and emotional skills through active participation in sessions with mentors, making his thinking more creative and critical.

Melina, studying in the first year of High School, found it very interesting that she could hear from so many different people and learn about their professions through their experiences . Furthermore, she found the communication with mentors had great flow, was enlightening and easy to comprehend. She emphasized the significance of their school's participation because, in Kastellorizo, “almost no child can discover many professions and occupations that might interest them”. Through the program, she and her classmates had the opportunity to learn about various professions, and some found the one that felt more "suitable" for them, "rather than engaging with the 'known' [professions] simply because there are no other options." In conclusion, she shared that her participation was an interesting experience that taught her that perseverance and hard work will make her dreams come true!


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About TTP

The Tipping Point (TTP) is an NGO aiming to empower today’s youth to enhance their consciousness, when they are called to make their once-in-a-lifetime decisions, ultimately preparing them for the workplace of tomorrow and to make learning more experiential, engaging and relevant to real life.

With the help of technology, students and teachers set the agenda of their meetings with professionals worldwide who interact with the students via live video and/or asynchronous video-responses.

Through a secure and structured digital environment, students on islands, in remote regional villages, marginalized urban areas or large cities, broaden their horizons and choices, receive answers to their questions from professionals worldwide - it could be doctors and farmers from a village nearby, or a NASA engineer from Florida - whom otherwise they could never meet.
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About THI Australia

The Hellenic Initiative Australia (THI Australia), is a non-profit organisation operating at a national level. Its mission is to bring together Greek Australians and philhellenes to contribute to the recovery and revitalisation of Greece.

By partnering with innovative non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Greece, THI Australia aims to implement programs that offer immediate relief, foster social and economic benefits, and create a lasting positive impact on Greek society. Since 2015, THI Australia has dedicated more than $1.7 million to various projects and initiatives in Greece, collaborating with eleven inspiring partner NGOs.

These efforts primarily focus on four key areas: Health, Social Services, Education, and Employment Pathways. Starting in 2019, THI Australia started a collaboration with The Tipping Point, initially involving three pilot schools.

Over the years, the number of participating schools has expanded, thanks to tailored approaches designed for Greek Australian Associations and individuals interested in supporting schools in specific regions of Greece. Associations and individuals have provided support to schools located in different areas such as Kastellorizo, Crete, Kalamata, and Kos.
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Join us in empowering each & every student, even at the most remote Aegean island, to consciously take their once-in-a-lifetime decisions, by enjoying the TTP experiential journey. One classroom at a time.
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