Season Reflections

Much of what I think about with respect to growth in a conservation corps program concerns pushing limits and stepping outside of one's comfort zone, In that way, I believe, those limits are forever expanded. I have seen this phenomenon, this transformation, occurring forcefully through this season so far, with all members and leaders of this crew. That fresh-faced, young, largely inexperienced group that arrived on the first day of the season is forever changed. They are now a group of crosscut pros, outdoor survivalists, and a group of dynamic experts. For them and for me as a leader, boundaries of comfort have been permanently expanded. As the end of the season draws near, I reflect on the value of an experience like this. The crew will disperse, but they will return to their lives forever changed for the better.