My final goal in this thread is to encourage people to think bigger. It's not a bad thing to go the extra mile to help your child get what he needs, to feed his brain and open up a world of possibilities. This is not "spoiling" the child. The bootstrappy idea that something "earned" is more valuable than something given is not a philosophy to which I subscribe. And I doubt the parents claiming that here truly believe it anyway. If they did, none would accept college scholarships for their kids, or support grants and funding for scientists and researchers.
My son has funded his trip via support from a philanthropic organization.
Don't settle for little or nothing when possibilities are endless!
