Indiana Township teen travels to Kenya through scholarship set up by late Fox Chapel Area teacher

Fox Chapel Area junior Ben Fiedler is an aspiring astrophysicist with an itch to travel the world.

He got the chance on a nearly three-week summer visit to Kenya, the East African country nearly 7,700 miles across the globe.

Known largely for its safari landscapes and wildlife preserves, Kenya borders the 19,341-foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and abuts the Indian Ocean.

“Kenya is a beautiful place with rich culture and amiable people,” said Fiedler, 16, of Indiana Township. “Every day was filled with something new and unique, from volunteering at orphanages, to planting trees at a wind farm, to seeing African wildlife.”

Kenya is home to rhinos, elephants and lions, and its Maasai Mara National Reserve is known for its annual wildebeest migration.

Fiedler, president of the school’s Model UN Club, traveled through a niche district scholarship established in 2022 by the estate of Conroy Guyer, a former English teacher at Fox Chapel Area High School.

Before his death in 2021 at 83, Guyer was an avid traveler — so much so that he earned enough airline miles to fly for free on the supersonic Concorde from Paris to New York.

Guyer wanted to spur a passion for exploration in his young students and bequeathed money to the AFS USA for scholarships to travel abroad.

Students chosen for the adventures typically travel in chaperoned groups of about 25. Transportation, lodging and meals are paid for through the scholarship.

AFS volunteer Carol Huff of O’Hara said Guyer was a beloved teacher for more than 30 years, from 1965 to 1997, who loved sharing stories about his travels.

“He wanted to help students achieve their highest potential,” Huff said. “Well-liked by students, he was known for being kind and supportive, and he was a great storyteller.”

Guyer’s scholarship works to educate students about contemporary global issues and exploration, she said.

“From what Ben says, it was a life-changing experience,” Huff said. “He learned a lot about how Kenya is protecting its environment, and he is eager to share with others how he has changed from this trip.”

Fiedler is a member of the high school’s technology student association and an annual participant in the Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair. While his academic focus is on STEM, Fiedler said he loves to interact with people and learn about far-flung cultures.

“I am incredibly thankful for being chosen,” he said. “I love trying new foods, seeing beautiful places, and just generally exploring the amazing world around us.”

The social value of his trip was undeniable, Fiedler said. Immersion in a developing nation’s culture had significant weight for the teen.

His favorite day was spent at a children’s center on a wildlife reservation near Nairobi. The center, which serves as an orphanage and a donor-funded school, boasts some impressive technology — it is fueled from the waste of animals that live on the school’s farm.

“I played games with the children, served food, danced and was even honored to watch a ceremonial goat-killing,” Fiedler said. “Just after this visit, I spent three days living with a gracious Maasai family, who cooked me authentic Kenyan meals and taught me local culture.”

Touring the landscape was an impeccable adventure, Fiedler said, and he found the people to be warm and inviting.

His trip was spent with people from all walks of life, from Maasai elders and orphans, to political activists and STEM leaders.

“They all manage to spread Kenyan joy and make their own nation continually better,” he said.

“While it has its problems — note the demonstrations occurring due to social unrest and fear of a corrupting government — Kenya is still stunning in every possible way.”