Gilfether wins scholarship for the ultimate 'cool' trip

by CLAUDINE CARLTON

Kendal Publicity Plugs

Oberlin High School senior Patrick Gilfether spent Dec. 26, 2009, to Jan. 12 in Antarctica. He won one of 20 scholarships, each worth approximately $12,000 from Students on Ice, a Canadian organization which encourages the study of global warming and climate change. www.studentsonice.com

The group of 65 was on the ship M/V Ushuaia but made landings via inflatable rafts on the Antarctic Peninsula. This is where climate change is most observable.

When asked to compare the weather in the Antarctic and Oberlin, he reported, "Actually the weather was better there. It was 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It was summer there." He was in Central and Mountain time zones.

"It's cool to see how big the world is," Gilfether said.

The expedition was led by Geoff Green of Students on Ice.