We Are NATSAP: Articles Submitted by Members

Deciding to bring one of our students across the country to Arizona to backpack for a week, be immersed in the spirit of the West, and to see the Grand Canyon was an easy decision. Up until this capstone trip, our student Levi had never even seen a picture of the Grand Canyon or been on a plane. This alone made it an easy decision. Our Boarding School is located in the high peaks of the Adirondack Park up in Lake Placid New York, and outdoor education is at the heart of what we do. We believe that travel, along with the lessons learned from putting a big trip together like this, is transformative for our students in many ways. With that said, traveling across the country with Levi to one of the seven natural wonders of the world was transformative, not to mention the metaphors were flowing like the Colorado River daily for him. Levi’s untapped potential shone through, and he was a fantastic teammate throughout the week while backpacking Arizona and immersing himself. The joy and awe we experienced together were palpable, and even now as I write this, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to have been able to impact a student in a way he will truly never forget. It's why we do what we do as outdoor educators.

A major highlight was seeing Levi witness the Grand Canyon for the first time. Mariah our clinical representative who traveled with Levi and I were moved to tears as we watched his awe-struck reaction walking up to a remote section of the rim for the first time. "It was way bigger than I had even imagined," Levi said with a grin ear to ear.  At one point later in the week Levi was sitting at the rim reflecting into the vast landscape by himself and we could tell he was in deep thought. He was quiet and even after we got back to camp for the night he remained quiet. He knew our trip was almost over and it hit him like a ton of bricks. He mentioned that he didn't want it to end. He had really enjoyed time with Mariah and I throughout the week. We were sure to hammer home that the journey and destination are important but the people you surround yourself with on the journey called life will determine your destiny. During our final debrief Levi acknowledged that he was proud of who he has become and hopes to share similar experiences with friends in the future. We were sure to echo this in our excitement for his next chapter of life that was about to start once his mom picked him up from the Airport at the conclusion of our trip. On that day when we met his mom and sister at the airport, his mom approached me while walking our bags to the car. She stated, "I do not remember the last time I've seen this look in his eye." He truly was proud and happy looking back at what he had just done. Mission Accomplished!