Callaway County teen seeks support for semester abroad

A Callaway County teen has won a scholarship to spend the upcoming school year in Germany and is looking for assistance from the community to help meet expenses.

Zoe Cook, a junior at South Callaway High School, was recently one of 250 high school students to be awarded a Congress-Bundestag Scholarship through Youth for Understanding USA - a program funded by the U.S. Congress to facilitate peace between Germany and America.

"Germany is an amazing, culturally rich country that I am honored to be able to visit," Cook wrote in a letter to the Fulton Sun. "My dream is to become a travel writer or journalist, and being able to get a taste of this as a high school student is unbelievable."

The scholarship covers Zoe's tuition and includes travel expenses and language instruction, but basic living expenses are not included.

Zoe's parents are providing some of the estimated $4,000 needed, and she is working to earn money as well, but she is hoping to raise $1,500 before she leaves on July 31.

Zoe has two online fundraisers set up at www.youcaring.com/other/germany-for-zoe/173682 and www.gofundme.com/zoesgermanyadventures.