As we embark on winter, we took a look back at students’ reflections, which were documented in journals during their 10-day Summer Expeditions in the Prince William Sound.
Middle school students participated in a Marine Stewardship Expedition aboard the Babkin marine research vessel. High school students ventured out on kayaks to complete stewardship projects in Nellie Juan College Fjord, Harriman Fjord, and Pigot Bay.
During the expeditions, students cleaned up marine debris, searched for oil residue from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, naturalized campsites, removed invasive species, and improved and maintained trails. The students were also able to learn from forest service rangers about ecology, conservation, and careers in public lands.
Students made these thoughtful observations…
“This is a beautiful world and life is too short to be stuck in the city.”
“I see serenity, peacefulness, as if the world hasn’t been touched. I feel like I’m one with nature. I feel relaxed, like there is nothing else in this world.”
“I feel refreshed, this week was full of so much hard work and energy. I feel like a much stronger and more independent person.”
“This world is a part of us and we are a part of it. That is why people are so attached to the land and always have been. We need to learn to work with the circle of life, not against it.”
“Here, where balance reigns, I feel at peace.”
