The Beauty of Alaska

       “The best memory was my first time I went on the trip. Twelve kids and I got up the first morning and were walking through a green field. As I walked with my boots through the rain forest I looked up, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. At that moment an eagle flew overhead. I said to myself that this is all worthwhile and thought to myself that I could go home right now and be happy.”

       Dale Rosene has been taking different groups of 8th grade students to Alaska for eighteen years. The students are chosen by writing an application that they fill out themselves. The application asks students to explain why they want to go on the trip and teacher recommendations.

       The students who are chosen have a number of fundraisers they participate in to help try and pay for the majority of the trip. Some of the fundraisers include a car wash, a pancake breakfast, and selling cookie dough, subs, and raffle tickets.

       Rosene says that he decided to start the trip because he thought it would be a great experience for kids. “ Kids will read about things and learn about them but it’s totally different when they actually get to go out and experience those things.” Said Dale Rosene. The eighth graders and adults’ gain a lot from this trip, they mature a lot and find new things out about themselves as they are challenged to do new things. “I think that some people really do change over the time period of the trip. People learn new things about themselves and even meet new people that they never thought could be cool. The Alaska trip also gives kids a chance to become more independent. I have seen changes in kids that are only Childs and also change from eighth graders who expand their group of friends during the trip.”

       Not only do kids come a long on the trip but adults do too. “I also see great changes in adults and it’s interesting to see them watching the kids interact in ways they’ve never seen them interact before.” Dale Rosene said.

       So if Rosene loves Alaska so much why doesn’t he live there? “I would love to live in Alaska,” he says, “but that is just too far to be away from my family. If my family was there I defiantly would.” On the trip the students and adults go to many different places and see many different things.

       “I have a lot of favorite parts of the trip. I love going over the hill for the first time and seeing the mountains, and also being on the water with the whales. I love the twelve o’clock baseball game and even the bus rides. I love Alaska’s beauty so much that I wont stop the trip until I retire or my health prevents me from going.”