During the summer of 1999, seventeen enterprising young people became the first group of public high school students from Maine to travel to the People's Republic of China.

My daughter had the good fortune of being one of these students. This memorable trip had a huge impact on her life. She changed from a shy teenager to an adventure seeker. Upon her return from China, she took on the task of documenting their trip to share their adventure.

The inspiration for this trip has its roots in a groundbreaking visit to China by a Yarmouth High School history teacher, John Beebe, who made this trip 20 years ago as an eighth grader from the Bank Street School for Children in New York City. At the time, the students in the Bank Street China Study Project were the youngest group of Americans ever to visit the People's Republic of China -- a trip that was approved before the US officially recognized the People's Republic of China.

My favorite adventure is "A Visit to the Silk Factory. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.