Thirty high school students embarked on journeys of epic proportions this summer in Truckee, Sequoia, and Yosemite. There are no cell phones; there is no internet; and they are away from home for weeks straight. They are participating in Adventure Risk Challenge’s 25- and 40-day outdoor literacy and leadership immersion courses. The students backpack through the Sierras, climb peaks, learn to rock climb, go whitewater rafting, and more.
The courses combine creative, reflective writing with outdoor adventure. They are also designed to push students outside their comfort zones and build their self-confidence and leadership skills. Daisy Sanchez, a Truckee High School student, wrote after her 2017 summer experience “I have grown a lot compared to the person I used to be. I have grown to be more confident, responsible and mature.”
During their wilderness expeditions, the students craft a metaphorical poem that compares something in their surroundings to their own story. They share their struggles, challenges, hopes, and dreams. Sanchez wrote a poem entitled “Frog Morph” in which she detailed how a hearing impairment has shaped her youth. Emphatically, she stated “People don’t have to feel like their differences are disabilities, but rather a gift.” During the summer course, she started to see a brighter future for herself and she punctuated her poem by discussing her dream of going to college and one day owning her own business.
After their summer experiences, students like Sanchez are mentored by ARC staff and volunteers and they return as peer leaders on weekend experiences. The program is celebrating its 15th year supporting under-engaged youth and building deep and meaningful connections between young people and the outdoors. Nguyen Truong, a 2017 teammate of Sanchez’s, wrote “Honestly, this summer is an unforgettable moment in my life. I learned a lot of valuable lessons from the outdoors…I will put all of the things I learned from these 40 days into the backpack of my life and carry them with me.”
This summer ARC students read their poetry at three events on Thursday, July 19th at 6:00PM in Fresno, on Thursday, July 26th at 6:00PM in Oakhurst, and on Tuesday, July 31st at 5:30PM in Truckee. The Voices of Youth events are RSVP only. Please RSVP at adventureriskchallenge.org/voy. The poems that the students read tell stories of adversity and transformation and their performances can be deeply moving.
Voices of Youth is a fundraiser and the donations given are absolutely crucial for the running of ARC’s programming. All donations online and at the event will be matched. ARC partners with UC-Berkeley’s Sagehen Creek Field Station and UC Merced’s Yosemite and Sequoia Field Stations to make the summer experience possible and, without the Field Stations’ generous support and hospitality, this opportunity would not be possible for California youth.