BRANDON

CHASITY

HASSAN

JENNIFER

JOSE

JOSH

KRISTEN

MARIO

MAYRA

OMAR

REGINA

SAPRINA

I touch/feel, I know...

I TOUCH/FEEL the cool breeze, the grass against my leg, the warmth of the sun, relaxed. Like I'm all alone doing research about a solitary lake in the middle of no where- like where I want to be. There's so much more here than I could have ever dreamt up- perfection.

I KNOW: this is the kind of thing I want to do for a living. I can help protect it, this is the way that it was meant to be. This is what I need to protect. This is where I am happy. I was meant to come and experience this. This is what I want my backyard to look like. This is wilderness.

To whom it may concern...

THIS IS INCREDIBLE! From the moment we arrived at base camp I've felt a great deal of accomplishment.

Once I got to the first lake I was in awe. I thought "wow this is the greatest!" But as

we hiked towards the last lake I began to realize that I had been mistaken. I realized that as long as there is a place to keep going to that you'll never reach just one spot where you can honestly say "Wow this is the greatest." I know that you believe inside that you can't do it. Form experience I know you can. I know you were meant to see this because it was made for you...made for me...and everyone else to experience. Some people can't experience this because they fear letting others down or being failures, but I assure you the only failures are those who don't take a step, then another...towards this place. Every step closer is a triumph in itself, but I won't and can't tell you that just because you took the step that you have finished and experienced the prize because I myself have still yet to find this prize. All I can say is that if you look in my eyes and search through my heart you'll see something new and beautiful that I long for you to gain so that this indescribably experience is never lost and doesn't end with my feet, my journey, rather it continues and perhaps I myself will gain a fellow companion in the conquest, in my memories, and following my dreams.

Joshua