Its crazy to think someone we saw for 5 days when we were in 6th grade would change out lives forever, but its true. Miles away from home, we met Steve. A camp counselor and trail leader at a 5 day away camp called Out Door Ed, at Big Bear Mountain. On the 4th day, Steve sat us down on the cabin floor, and told us about his discovery and passion for the earth and environment. He gave us a choice. To either take the beads offered to us (rewards for completing tasks), or to not, and have the tasks still count. We were skeptical at first, (I mean what 11 year old girls could resist rainbow sparkly beads on a necklace?) but his speech brought enough of us to tears, that by the 5th day, everyone in that group was willing to give back their beads.

Steve sparked our passion for the environment that day, and we hope to have the same impact on everyone we meet and engage with in the future!