Lakewood Ranch junior tapped to be student ambassador

MANATEE — Ayla Allen, a 17-year-old junior at Lakewood Ranch High, is among a select few Manatee County students recently chosen for the People to People Student Ambassador Program tour of Australia in July.

It’s a dream come true for Allen, an honors student who works four days a week scooping ice cream at Friendly’s.

Her mom, Jacque Allen, is a single mother who works two jobs — as cafeteria manager at Haile Middle School and as a home health nurse — to support the family.

“She would never get to go otherwise,” Jacque Allen said of her daughter’s selection for the program, which traces its origins back to President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956.

Like other students selected for the tour, including Kayla Higgins, a sophomore at Southeast High School, raising the $6,000 or so for the trip is a daunting task.

Jacque Allen said she and Ayla have been approaching friends, coworkers and merchants for support. Ayla said, however, that she doesn’t want anyone to feel obligated or uncomfortable if they are unable to kick in for the cause, because she understands that times are hard and money is tight.

Jacque Allen said the family has also sent letters to Oprah and the Food Network, seeking support.

Ayla, who hopes to attend Florida State University and become a pediatrician, stays busy with her studies, community service and work. Plus, she’s a member of the weightlifting, soccer and track teams.

“I really wanted to go to Australia,” she said. “I like the animals there and want to learn more about other cultures and what’s happening there. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see how people live, how they govern themselves, and to help me grow as a person.”