At 13, Morgan Ossey understands that travel can do what textbooks cannot. It stretches a young person's confidence, widens her perspective, and teaches her to move through the world with curiosity and courage.
Morgan describes herself as a bubbly, rising 9th grader with a full list of interests: reading, singing, acting, traveling, and DJing as DJMoSmilez, with bookings that now include conferences. She recently played the title role in her school's production of Annie.
Her travels to Paris, France, and Cairo, Egypt were inspired by The Power of Girls, a leadership program that helps girls build confidence and explore beyond their own communities.
In Paris, she was captivated by the Eiffel Tower during the day and again as it sparkled at night. Cairo offered a different kind of wonder. There, she visited the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, rode camels, and shopped in the Khan El Khalili market, where bargaining required quick math.
“It was like that meme where all the calculations pop on the screen,” she says.
The trip gave her more than memorable photos. She began thinking about culture, animals, and the lives of girls around the world, noticing who was working, who was visible, and what questions remained.
“Travel is much more than a vacation,” her mother, Regina, says. “It can be an investment in a child’s education, confidence and perspective of the world they live in.”
She hopes other kids understand that seeing the world is possible.
“Don’t think you have to be rich to travel,” she says. “There are nonprofit organizations that help kids and teens experience the world.”
Next on her list is Japan. Wherever she goes, she plans to keep asking questions and building toward a full scholarship to an HBCU, followed by graduate school at an Ivy League university.
“I love trying new things,” she says. “I’m a very curious person, so I ask a lot of questions because I always want to grow and learn.”
Morgan is not just collecting passport stamps. She is collecting lessons, confidence, and a vision for the impact she wants to make on the world.