What Do Students Say?

Kelton Leading the Way 2010, Age 17

The Global Explorers Leading the Way program changed my outlook on everything. It changed the way I want to live my life. I no longer want to be stuck in some office when I grow up, I want to be in the outdoors learning more about what is around us. My view on visually impaired people has changed. LTW has taught me the principle of “Leave No Trace,” which means keep the area around you the way it was when you found it. Now I don’t litter, and instead I pick up after other people. Leading the Way has made me a better person, a person who cares and wants to help out.

One of my favorite parts of the expedition was when we were on the river. We stopped by a dam site that had tunnels dug into the canyon walls. All of us grabbed our flashlights and headed down to the very end of the tunnel. Once we reached the end everyone turned off their flashlights. We had the visually impaired students lead us out. I felt like we were put into their shoes – it gave me a taste of what they go through everyday.

Being in one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World was a feeling I couldn’t even describe! I loved being secluded from loud cities and cars driving by. I felt free. When you spend an amount of time in the wilderness you begin to see the difference between “need” and “want.” You may really want something incredibly bad, but the question is do you “need” it? Can you live without it? This is a lesson that I learned. I have changed after being out in the wilderness. I use my cell phone a lot less than I used to. I prefer walking to places than driving to get there.

I used to view leadership as when one person stands up for the group and decides who does what. However that’s not what leadership is all about, it’s a team effort.