This high-school program is teaching big-city kids that Southerners, rural farmers aren’t racist — or even that different
Many New York City children raised in progressive environments often assume the South is dominated by backward or intolerant views. But for participants in the American Tributaries program, a journey to South Carolina is proving that the reality is far more nuanced.
The program sends students from New York City and suburban New Jersey to South Carolina—a state where President Trump won 58.2% of the vote last year—to help them experience firsthand how other Americans live.
Leo Mullin, an 18-year-old from Brooklyn, remembered meeting farmer George Albers, who wore a “God, guns and Trump” hat during the summer 2024 trip. “That was very different from what I was used to,” Mullin, now a freshman studying Political Economy at Tulane, said. “But we had a really strong conversation, ended up talking about baseball, and were able to bond despite having different views.”
The program was founded by Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, father Michael Whidden, frustrated when his daughter’s Manhattan high school resumed sending students on overseas trips after pandemic lockdowns. “All the trips were abroad,” Whidden, a 54-year-old Navy veteran and wine distributor, told The Post. “After the pandemic, in such polarized times, shouldn’t we focus on getting to know fellow Americans and visiting parts of the country that are different from ours?”
By 2022, Whidden had organized his first group of students from Brooklyn and Cranford, New Jersey, to visit South Carolina.
Mila Melikian, 18, joined in summer 2024 after hearing about the program in her AP government class at Cranford High School. “At first, it sounded great because I could go with a friend and it was affordable,” she said. “But then I realized it was a very important experience. I didn’t know the U.S. could offer such a cultural education.”
The 12-day itinerary includes exploring the Cypress Gardens swamp preserve, visiting Charleston, and meeting local farmers. Students also tour the McLeod Plantation to learn about slavery and spend a day at Fort Jackson, where they experience military life and even practice shooting.
“It’s not like a trip to the Eiffel Tower,” Whidden said. “You see a plantation, an agricultural school, and eat at Waffle House or Cracker Barrel with six local kids.” Melikian, who immigrated from Lebanon with her parents, recalled a conversation with a South Carolina farmer who supported easier paths for migrant laborers. “That really stuck with me because my parents are working immigrants,” she said.
Whidden emphasized that these moments are the heart of the program. “It’s not about politics. It’s about civic health.” Students also stop in Washington, D.C., visiting offices of Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Scott (R-SC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and John Cornyn (R-TX).
The experience inspired Melikian to register as an Independent when she turned 18 and “weigh both sides apart from my parents’ or friends’ opinions.” She also observed that people in the South often separate political identity from personal identity, which she admired.
Students regularly visit George and Celeste Albers’ farm on Wadmalaw Island, where they grow organic vegetables and raise livestock. Celeste, 62, described her family as “very conservative” and said students are sometimes surprised by her husband’s Trump hat. “We want to prove stereotypes wrong,” she said. “We talk, and they find we’re not extreme—just different politically. It’s heartwarming to see their surprise that we’re just like them.”
George and Celeste also teach students about agriculture. “They ask a lot about livestock and farming life—the good, the bad, the pretty, the ugly,” Celeste said. “Many of these kids are city dwellers and know very little about farms.”
Whidden sees the program as another way to serve his country as a veteran. His daughter, Miranda, 19, helped shape the itinerary to make it appealing to teens. “It’s important to understand your own country first,” she said, noting that most students leave with a richer understanding of Americans they had only encountered online.
Parents agree. David Callahan of Cranford called sending his daughter on the program a “no-brainer,” wanting her to meet people from different backgrounds. Rob Coon, also from Cranford, said the program helps teens cut through online polarization and gain a balanced perspective.
Whidden hopes to expand the program to include more students and potentially bring Southern teens to New York. Melikian believes it’s exactly the civic education Gen Z needs. “We’re the next generation of voters and leaders,” she said. “Learning about civic engagement in a nonjudgmental environment can help us approach controversial issues thoughtfully.”
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