Space Camp - Maryam Hassan

This summer I went to Huntsville, Alabama to attend Space Camp. This wonderful opportunity was given to me and two other students by a generous law firm called Fish & Richardson. Fish and Richardson provides scholarships to students who want to learn about outer space and the world outside of where they live. I really appreciate the fact that I received a scholarship which covered my tuition, my round-trip flight and a space suit!

When I got to Space Camp, I immediately fit in because everybody was friendly. During camp, I made more than 30 new friends and had the privilege to learn from two very supportive adults who taught me everything I now know about space. One thing that I learned was that America wasn’t the 1^st country to go into outer space; it was actually Russia. 

Going to Space Camp was an opportunity of a lifetime and I thank Fish & Richardson and SEED for making this opportunity possible.

And the Young Shall Lead Us - A Conversation with Operation Understanding DC!

 

 For juniors who are interested in learning more about Operation Understanding DC (OUDC), they will be hosting a FREE event on Monday, October 24 at Ford’s Theatre. The event begins at 7pm and attendees will hear from previous OUDC participants, many of whom are currently doing phenomenal work in the DC area.

OUDC is a year-long, experiential, leadership development program that introduces students to other students who are equally passionate about pursuing social justice. To apply for this year’s program or to learn more about OUDC, please visit: www.oudc.org.

The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop - Aliaih Peterson

For two weeks this summer, I participated in The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop. On June 26, I awoke with the sun and looked forward to my trip. However, after going though several doors and metal detectors and finally boarding the plane to Columbus, I realized that the difference between getting to Gambier, OH (via Columbus) and staying in DC meant conquering what had become one of my greatest fears: flying.

After sitting through major turbulence in a plane that never quite seemed to level out, it all became worth it once I was in the clouds. Once I was in the clouds, there was no more fear or nervousness. I didn’t know it then, but I would later come to realize that this plane was taking me away from a nightmare and
towards a greater reality.

After an hour and a half plane ride, I arrived at Kenyon, a quaint little campus intertwined in the city of Gambier. As my feet grazed the pavement, I began to look around and soon realized that my time at Kenyon mirrored my life at SEED. Once again, I was a stranger among strangers which would have been a bad thing except for three reasons: I was in a place where the people were pleasant, where drama never seemed to reach extreme heights, and I was in a place where
I was valued and respected.

Participating in The Young Writers Workshop gave me confidence in my writing and in myself. The Workshop submerged me in the world that I knew existed, but could never visit. The Workshop gave me a first hand view of college life and gave me something to look forward to in college: the chance to exist in a space among strangers and flourish.

By participating in The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop , I was able to explore my writing and that of others. I am truly humbled, and enjoyed meeting the incredible Jerks of Ascension Room 114, a group of incredibly talented, wonderful people. Participating in The Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop is an experience that I am grateful for and
will always remember.

North Carolina Outward Bound - Travis Ferrell

It was an honor to be chosen to participate in the North Carolina Outward Bound (NCOB) program. This year, the NCOB anthem really connected with me when things got difficult. There were three moments that changed my perspective on life: One was when I was in SOLO. During this time I was by myself for 3 days and
all I had to do was rest and think.

During this time, I studied over my life and the things I’ve done, wondering if I could have done things differently or was my fate already pre-destined. I wrote songs about the experience and missing the people that I thought I cared for the most. I looked over the people that I met over my time at NCOB and how they compared to the people back home. I noticed that the people at NCOB felt more like a family and the people at home are the people that make me feel more alone. I’ve never been able to have
real fun like when I was at NCOB.

Maybe it’s the decreased amount of consumed meats or the availability to smell real “fresh air“ within the smell of yourself but whatever the reason, I felt like I was going through what life really was. The days started to slow down and every minute seemed like an hour. I felt like I was trying to live in survival mode. The fasting for three days helped me think too.

The second experience that offered me clarity was when I was feeling kind of low for two days and my counselor Jess told me a story. She told me a story about why there is no right thing to do or
wrong consequence, just outcomes.

During this summer at NCOB, I pretty much learned that there is no giving up. You don’t have to give up when you truly believe that you can’t take any more of what is getting thrown your way. If you can find something to occupy you’re mind from thinking in the negative then you will be able to persevere through whatever it is that is troubling you.

I also learned that more of your “friends” that you meet from far away are more likely to stay in your life and be real friends and more compassionate then the ones at home. You could find a home in people that you never could find at home. I still talk to some of my NCOB brothers even if I'm flying by just to say “hey.”

At the end of the NCOB course you feel like you learned skills that you can apply in the future but you have to remind yourself that you can’t go back to the same ways or things that you used to do. You have to remind yourself that you have grown. I cannot thank the NCOB team for another opportunity to finish
the NCOB 21 day course.

National Outdoor Leadership School - Blessing Hayes

Signing up for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) was an experience and I must say, it was kind of hard. I didn’t want to sign up because I didn’t think I was going to get the scholarship. But then I wanted the experience, exposure and the feeling of being independent. When I received the letter saying I was accepted to attend, I jumped for joy! But I was still unsure about attending because I would miss several basketball tournaments over the summer. Even though I didn’t have to pack too many items,
I still ended up over packing.

The first day I arrived in Alaska I stayed at a Bed and Breakfast. The next morning, a bus transported me and a few other kids from the Bed and Breakfast to a farm. At the farm, we meet up with everybody and introduced ourselves. We then got together to ration out our food – for the next month! Later that day, we learned how to set up a tent and pack a backpack. These lessons were extremely helpful as we hiked about 8-12 hours each day.

During the trip, I learned:

• A lot about myself;
• How to perform CPR;
• How to manage risk;
• How to be a better leader;
• How to work effectively as a team;
• About group dynamics; and most importantly
• How to survive in a different environment.

. 
This experience has taught me that there’s a major difference in the necessities you need to survive in life and necessities you don’t need but choose to have in order to survive in life. Words really can’t explain the adventures, experience or the challenges you will endure and overcome doing this trip. You will have to go there to actually know what the experience is like. 

Making it through the exhibition has made me feel a lot more confident, successful, and accomplished. Some challenges I had while on this exhibition were transferring environments, life styles and my daily routines. But, I had a great time and appreciate the opportunity.

Farm and Wilderness - Christopher Smith

 

When I first got to the Farm and Wilderness camp, it seemed like a regular, normal outdoor camp. But, once I got settled in and met all of my cabin mates and my counselors, I had a feeling that I was going to have a lot of fun. One of the first things that I had to do was take a swim test and learn about cows, goats, chickens, roosters and pigs. I also got to build benches using saws, sledge hammers, shovels and nails.

During camp, we received outdoor living training, including how to survive living in the outdoors and knowing which items you would need to survive while living outdoors. As part of the outdoor training, the counselors described the different overnight trips and I selected the trip to Silver Lake.

It took two hours to hike to Silver Lake but the trip was worth it! We went swimming on the beach, hiking and rock climbing. One rock was 70 feet high and while I only made it 75% of the way to the top, I had fun trying to climb the rock.

During the last week of camp, we had a spy night where the spies had to get a message past the campers who were on patrol. The counselors also showed us how to prepare food from the farm to the plate. On one of the last nights, we had a banquet and a surprise dance party! 

Farm and Wilderness - Gregory Silvers

 

 Farm and Wilderness is located in Vermont. To me, Farm and Wilderness is the best camp in the world! We flew from DC to New Hampshire and when we arrived at camp, I was confused but I quickly started to get comfortable and make friends.

At camp, I made friends instantly! Some of my friends were Donnel, Theo, Bello, Aazir, Tim, Eli and my two counselors were Todner and Wolverine. A couple of days into camp, we all went on a camping trip and we socialized more.

 We also went on longer trips and got to know people outside of our cabin. The counselors often said that we should live in the moment – and they were right. When it was time to leave camp, I was crying because I really wanted to stay and wished that I had “lived” in more moments. But, I had a lot of fun at camp and hope to go again next summer!