Suspension of Program in Seattle
Unfortunately we have had to make the difficult decision to suspend the Connexpedition 2020 program in Seattle due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Concerns have been growing in the past few days surrounding the spread of the coronavirus disease in the state of Washington. Unfortunately, we have had to make the difficult decision to suspend the Connexpedition 2020 program in Seattle.
This was not an easy decision for us to make, as our staff was extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with students from the Seattle area who are equipped with different knowledge, experiences, and perspectives.
We will always prioritize the health and safety of our volunteers and families. The unpredictable nature of the outbreak makes it challenging for us to assess the current and future risk to everyone’s health. Additionally, the need for our staff to travel back and forth between California and Washington may further increase unnecessary risk to all as the outbreak is also spreading in our San Francisco Bay Area communities.
We sincerely thank you for your interest in volunteering with us. While our time together was short, we will always consider you a part of our family and welcome you to join us again next summer.
Connexpedition 2020 Day 1 – Orientation
And that’s a wrap for our first Bay Area training! Thank you for attending and we hope you had a good time.
And that’s a wrap for our first Bay Area training! Thank you for attending and we hope you had a good time. Get ready for some more fun at Training 2.
Coronavirus Update | February 29, 2020
Members and families, please see this post for an update regarding the coronavirus situation.
To our Connexpedition Parents and Families:
We understand that recent developments surrounding the coronavirus disease have caused a deepening level of concern in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are writing to inform you that your child’s health and safety will always be our top priority and we are closely monitoring the coronavirus (now named COVID-19) situation.
Impact to trainings and meetings
At this time, we are following the guidelines of the county’s public health department, the state’s health department, and the CDC. We will continue to host our bi-weekly meetings until government officials and public health experts advise against such events.
As a reminder, if your child is sick, please keep them home. To help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including the coronavirus and flu, follow these important tips:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Get vaccinated every year.
Impact to this summer’s trip to Taiwan
The Ministry of Education in Taiwan is closely monitoring the situation and has already taken preventative measures against the spread of the virus including the postponement of the semester by fifteen days, consistent disinfection of school campuses, and strict policies to prevent community spread of the virus. We are working closely with New Taipei City and Yilan County’s department of education to provide updates to our volunteers and families as necessary.
We thank you for your cooperation and support.
Thank You For Applying!
The application period for Connexpedition 2020 has ended. Thank you to all who took the time to learn about our program and apply!
The team behind Connexpedition would like to extend to all applicants our sincerest appreciation for your interest in our program. We will begin our first round of interviews this weekend and will continue to get to know our applicants until mid-February.
We have extremely limited space on our service trips and an extremely large pool of talented and unique applicants. As much as we would love to allow everyone the opportunity to travel to Taiwan with us, there simply just isn’t enough space. If you applied, please expect to receive our decision via email around February 20th.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at connexpedition@wceo.org or reach out to us using one of our social channels!
2020 Program Information
Application dates: December 14, 2020 - January 24, 2020
Service trip dates: June 28, 2020 - July 15, 2020