- Cade

Alaska Is...

       Alaska is a beautiful home away from home. It’s a place where nothing bad matters because of the place itself. Where you can always say, “It’s okay because we’re in Alaska”. When you feel blue, that’s all that need be said to lift the spirits of yourself and the people around you. There are good times and bad times as well, but it doesn’t matter when you look at your surroundings the mountains, the scenery, and most of all, the people that surround you. We all become a big family and we bring each other back to peace. We grow and learn and come together to accomplish our goods in this daunting project. We also eat, sleep, and live together as a family. We cook meals, recycle, create podcasts, and we run websites. We watch for whales, we go fishing and we hike mountains and glaciers. All in this beautiful place called Alaska. Our tents, our vans, and our committees come together out of friendship and determination. Alaska is a place of great enough beauty to remind us all that there’s a whole other world outside of Michigan. Alaska is a place of great enough beauty to remind us all of what we’re here for. It reminds us that we’re here to change the world, as well as ourselves, for the better, if only for once a year. However, only time, and not words, will truly tell whether we’ve done our jobs in the unforgettable Alaska Great Lakes Project.

Final Reflections

This trip has been amazing.  I have grown and learned as a junior Beader and I have watched the 8th graders grow and learn in their own wide-eyed, fascinated kind of way, I have made friends and so have they.  The new adult drivers have brought something new as well.  The more experienced Junior Leaders continue to set an example in getting things done and making this trip a better experience for everyone around them.  This trip changes with each new year.  Your first time you're really just along for the ride and next, you become a leader.  You become more responsible.  While I once felt that my first year in Alaska was the best experience of my life, i can easily say that in many ways this trip was even better.  LONG LIVE AGLP!!