Plenty of Time to Ponder

Post by: HodgeDiversified MindsFront Royal, VA

            One of the key features that attracted me to the Trail to Every Classroom program was the initial word, TRAIL. As someone who has been immersed in the trails culture for about 5 years, I knew that this opportunity was just for me! For me, and in my community, the trail has the potential to be so much more than the current reputation it holds. Especially since our town will be creating connector trails from the town that will hook up with the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail.

            Each summer I spend 30+ days in the backcountry across the country leading a group of high school-aged persons to learn about trail maintenance, sustainability, community, responsibility, and other key attributes to promote the next generation of stewards for our Earth. I want to be able to bring these experiences, plus the knowledge I gain throughout this year with TTEC and bring a resurgence of excitement in my classroom and community. This summer I had been more isolated than in any other place I have been to in the past. This time away from internet, cell phones, and other distractions, helped me focus in on what I wanted to try and accomplish with the TTEC program in my school. Some of the ideas I came up with included:

·         Outdoor adventure clubs

o   Hiking

o   Camping

o   Trail Maintenance

·         Trail maintenance

·         Outdoor classrooms

·         Creating quests

·         Various field experience opportunities

o   Sampling biotic communities

o   Naturalists trips

o   Stream Ecology

I am excited to see all of the participants from up and down the Appalachian Trail this summer and observe all of their great ideas for implementing this program into their own schools.