adventure risk challenge developing youth literacy and leadership Yosemite Writings of Summer Course Alumni 2016 Tahoe University of California Sagehen Creek and Yosemite Field Stations Abraham Martinez Jose Ponce Amalia van Peborgh Joseph Li Augusto Pablo Keiran Barron Drenese McCloud Melany Ricardo TAHOE PARTICIPANTS Isel Angulo Rosa Mendoza TAHOE - PAGE 3 YOSEMITE - PAGE 26 Eriel Gonzalez Linda Yang Gerzayr Alapizco Prisila Gonzalez Gustavo Garcia Rosenda Sanchez Jesus Dominguez Sandesh Maurati Jose Aguilar Vannaleze Barcelos YOSEMITE PARTICIPANTS Lilly Sanchez Weiping Huang 2 ARC Summer 2016 tahoe BASECAMP LOCATION: Sagehen Creek Field Station, Truckee, CA PROGRAM LENGTH: 24 days TEAM NAME: MT Peaks Aaron DiMartino Aixa Correa Jesus Alejandre Melissa Hoffman INSTRUCTORS ARC Summer 2016 3 abraham martinez Being an Owl I am a Great Gray Owl That looks for prey and for my future. I am a bird that spends a lot of time with my family. But, I am over protected all of the time. My parents do not let me open my wings and fly away Now that I am a man. My mom left for this country when I was six years old And I could never count on my dad. Not having the love of my parents, From my incubation period until I started to fly Caused my yellow eyes to be surrounded by darkness. I was alone and I didn’t have love when I needed it. But I am a strong owl that can survive in different climates. I learned to live without my parents guiding me for nine years, Relying only on myself. I didn’t have a beautiful space to live, And didn’t have that love that I needed. It was one of my dreams to come to the United States I felt like an owl silently flying through the night towards a better place, Feeling excited about a new world with my beautiful imagination. I could picture my life with my family together again. Then the time came for me to leave. I disappeared like an owl during the day I had to leave very quickly, only a few family members knew that I was leaving. After a few weeks everyone asked where I went. I am a Great Gray Owl that flies with no one seeing me, Only hearing about me and all of the challenges that I had to overcome. I felt proud of how far I had traveled. Now that I feel happy and strong, I would like to experience new things. But, I still feel caged in, like I won’t be able to get out of my comfort zone. Now my mom is trying to be that female owl that is aggressive and protective of her first child It’s hard for me – I don’t feel that love that she wants me to feel. But I am going to fly like the Great Gray Owl that I am. I want to show off all of my hard work. I have already gone the furthest in my family academically And I want to graduate high school and have a career. I will set a record in my family for success. I am one of the few Great Gray Owls, And I will fly around California With my beautiful, Colorful, Open wings. 4 ARC Summer 2016 Looking Forward Every day was fun without any worries in about the life in this country was true. it would be a good program to help me Mexico. I woke up listening to my grand- She said we didn’t have our own house, follow my goals. In my recommendation parents cleaning the house, and went to but we would be living with other people letter, my teacher pointed out my love for school with my all cousins and friends. and all of us need to share a room. At the this country, and I was accepted. Every My favorite parts of going to school were time, I was a little disappointed, but my week I talk with Chano, my mentor, about being with all of my friends in a room for positive attitude didn’t go away. I knew how I’m doing in school and my goals for the whole week, having the same classes there were going to be good things about the week. every day, and betting on soccer games. coming to this country, and I was excited After school my neighbors came to our to make money in this new place. Through Summer Search, I got in- house to play games at night since we volved in the ARC summer program. were living 12 in a house with many kids. My stepdad told me, ‘’Never wait for ARC helped me prepare physically and This was my normal everyday life and I what you want in life,” but at the time I mentally, and challenged me every day. was used to the routine. didn’t understand what he meant. Going From 6:15 am until 9:00 pm, I found out to middle school was hard for me because how strong I am. In these past weeks, Since I was eight years old, my eyes I didn’t have someone helping to teach I’ve learned I need to work as part of a looked around my town and there were a me English. I felt really lonely, not able team, not only physically, but mentally. few families that were well off, but most to learn while the year passed by. I didn’t In this 24-day program, getting to know of them were not. My family had a lot of have the resources I needed, and I didn’t my teammates in a short period helped kids, and not a lot of money to me realize that I am not the take care of them all. My uncles only one in this country with and aunts stayed in the same town struggles. Now that I know they grew up in, and they didn’t more about myself, my goals look for other opportunities. are to go to college and fol- Because of that, my goal was to low my dream. My dream is come to the United States. I re- to have a good career. Now alized that if you stay where you I realize that I like the out- are, you won’t be able to grow doors and nature. There are or have better opportunities. My many opportunities in my mom was in the U.S. already and life. I want to find my own my wish was for her to bring me path, work hard every day there because I heard that if you and face any challenges in are in the U.S., you are rich and my way. you are living the good life. My biggest challenge in the Then one day, I received a call past was waiting for resourc- from my mom telling me to get es and language help that I ready. My brothers and I would couldn’t find by myself and come to this country after waiting nine know how to find them. In high school, not knowing anything about this culture. years. My heart almost exploded from I was finally placed in an ELD class, but Now I know that I can do these things by happiness because finally my dream was I lost the positive attitude that I had be- myself. I know how to take care of my- going to come true. cause I spent so much time not learning self. I feel capable to find the resources and not understanding. During my fresh- I need. Before I came here, I thought I When I arrived in this country, I looked man year, I learned a lot and felt the mo- was the only one having these troubles at every detail; the houses made of wood tivation return. I felt proud that I did not in life. But coming here, I realized that and the big markets and buildings. I was give up during those two years before I there are more people that also have the so happy to see my mom and her partner, got to high school when I finally started same problems as me. When people sup- my stepdad. I had millions of questions to improve my English. port you a lot and they want you to be to ask them about their cars, house, and successful by believing in you, they help their life in the U.S. But, while we were In my sophomore year, I was selected you to have the right attitude to succeed. going to our ‘’house’’ my mom started to by one of my teachers to join Summer This is what I feel here at ARC and what explain to me that not everything I heard Search. I went to meetings and I thought I want to take away with me. ARC Summer 2016 5 amalia van peborgh Night Sky I am the night sky. I have created a space, I will be a good person I am the moon and the stars. A black hole that has sucked out all the light Someone who people will want to trust For different people I am one And when confronted with the darkness Someone who works and does well And for others I am another Grows stronger, And looks forward to each day The moon doesn’t show you its dark side Tougher. If I am patient, And the people who see it But maybe one day, Perhaps I will be exactly that only choose to see the light Someone will come Perhaps I will be one person I cannot find my true personality twice Who will give me the light I need My truest self Just as you cannot find the same star twice.