In the past two years, the Venice Dream Team has traveled to nine countries and 22 cities, including Rome, Paris, London, Geneva, Prague, Amsterdam, Berlin, Tokyo—and Venice, Italy.

“I think I liked Venice the best,” one of the travelers says. Asked whether he liked it because of the gondolas and the canal or because of its name, he explains: “It was cool.”

Cool is a frequent word in the kids’ descriptions of their trips. They are shooting much of the time. So their views are often through a camera. Usually their pictures speak more eloquently than they do.

In travels to New York, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, Team members have photographed celebrities ranging from Shaquille O’Neal to President Clinton. While covering the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the Team also explored the city, photographing the streets and the people beyond the glamour of the games. The Team did the same double coverage in Japan during the 1998 Winter Olympics.

“Just like my Dad said,” one of the travelers wrote in his journal. “If you are in school and your teacher is trying to teach you about Japan, instead of just being able to sit and listen it would always be better if you could get up and go yourself.”

Shooting the Pictures