At 6PM tonight at Sierra Meadows in Awahanee (close to Yosemite and Oakhurst), eight ARC students will be performing beautifully-crafted stories of hardship and success. The event is deeply moving and the students have been preparing for Voices of Youth since their first wilderness expedition over a month ago in Hetch Hetchy. Four staff have been guiding them through the ARC summer experience: leading them over snow, coaching them on morning runs, eliciting stories and personal poetry, teaching them about Yosemite’s natural history, and so much more. Here are their (brief) stories and backgrounds!
Dani Bainsmith, Science Instructor
Dani has been a science teacher in Salt Lake City for the past 5 years, and is excited to combine a passion for science education with outdoor adventures & learning at ARC. Dani feeds her curiosity by observing the natural phenomena of the world. The great outdoors are her place for wondering, study, and pushing limits. Dani also loves taking books of all sorts into wild places, with a favorite from the last year being The Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore.
Gustavo Garcia, Co-English Instructor
Gustavo is an ARC alum. After completing ARC’s 40-day summer course in Yosemite in 2016, Gustavo is excited to return to Yosemite as an English instructor. Born in Merced, Gustavo has had the opportunity to be right at the Gateway of Yosemite and frequently makes trips to Yosemite to connect with one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Gustavo enjoys running his college’s speech and debate team and coaching students in local high schools around the central valley, Gustavo can be found in nature taking a nap on a rock and watching the stars at night. One of Gustavo’s favorite writers is Kahlil Gibran.
Kristen Sawyer, Co-English Instructor
Kristen Sawyer is the English Instructor for the Yosemite program. After three years of living outside the U.S., leading student trips through Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Brazil and South Africa, she is excited to return to the West to explore the wonders of this country. She has led horse trips on a ranch in Costa Rica, taught English to students ages 5-50 in Ecuador, taught middle school English in Phoenix, mentored college students on public health programs, and created curriculum on storytelling and writing. In her spare time, she can be found hugging trees, walking around mountains, slowly writing her own essays, and reading the words of Mary Oliver, Robin Wall Kimmerer, or Octavia Butler.
Jesus Alejandra, Course Director
Jesus is a graduate of ARC’s 40-day summer course in Yosemite in 2012. Since then, he has served as an ARC intern, summer instructor, Bilingual Outreach Coordinator, and more. Jesus is passionate about empowering youth in his community. Now with five years on ARC’s staff, he finds motivation and fulfillment within the success stories that emerge from the many students that participate in the program. He believes that all individuals can learn and grow together with support and compassion. Jesus is currently a student at Merced College and earned his Associate’s Degree in May 2019.