Dear America,
Field Report: Jan. 22

Last week was a very busy week in the life of a “have slides will travel” kind of guy. I went to Copper Hills Elementary School to visit the 4-5-6 G.A.T.E. class. The class of 30 was very attentive and had some great questions. I showed slides, the video from Honda America, maps, and some of the equipment used on the trek. I introduced them to the website and gave them an assignment to browse the website and answer some questions. Taylor, Alexis (Lexi), Chelsea, Sara, and Caitlin stayed after and named my two mink pelts. (Used to illustrate some of the animals that trappers in the “old west” trapped.) The two-legged one (they called it no arms) was named Kirby and the four-legged one Daxter. I had a great time at Copper Hills.


On Thursday I presented at the Newcomers Club of Fresno, at the San Joaquin Country Club. They fed me a very nice lunch. The group of 25 ladies was very interested in my summer activities.

On Thursday night I drove the 45 miles to Visalia to present at the Mountain Ramblers, a hiking club. I loaded my truck with three friends from Fresno and my wife and we had a great time talking about old times. All of them have been on at least one long backpack with me. The crowd in Visalia was the largest one outside of an academic setting that I have done. 46 people packed the room. People are very interested in the corporate sponsors and how much it takes to put on a huge expedition. I really love giving slide shows.

Dear America:
Field Report, Day 61 plus

I returned to school the very next day after returning home. Some people thought I should take a day or two for myself. Although the trip was for America and my classroom, I felt like I had already taken a day or two (70) for myself. My wife agrees. Besides after talking to my class each week for the first five weeks of school I was anxious to get back to school.

Well, I jumped back in with both feet. I continue to work 10-11 hours (by choice)- making sure I have a wonderful experience for my students. The class was 25 days ahead of me and I needed to catch up. I returned to coaching cross-country, California Geography Alliance workshops to teach, Faculty Senate, parent conferences, progress reports, Boy Scouts, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. I love being busy, which is why I think I did on the trek.

After sorting through 1,100 color slides of the trip I narrowed them down to my 243 favorite to show to four student teacher classes at Fresno State University. I did this as a Teacher Consultant with the California Geographic Alliance. Every semester the university has about 250 student teachers attend a daylong workshop on how to teach geography in the classroom. I used my slides to illustrate how to incorporate visuals and the trek into journal writing.

I also taught classes at CGA workshops during the first four weekends after getting home. This was to help train new TC’s for the Alliance. I showed my slides to that group also. By then I had pared down the slides to about 180. I also taught ‘regular’ geography lessons to the group.

My involvement in the Boy Scouts includes and is because of my “little brother”. The Boy Scouts offer so much to help develop a young man’s character. Besides Thomas really likes the campouts.

Our cross-country teams (4th grade girls, 4th grade boys, 5-6 girls, and 5-6 boys) did not lose a match after my return. It has been fun teasing the other coaches about that. I was in good enough shape after the trek to keep up with most of the runners. Mike P., in my class last year is way beyond anything I will ever be able to do. I’m not sure my truck could keep up with him.

I’ve had a great time meeting with parents, attending Parent-Teacher Club meetings, and just being back where I belong-in school.

I think this covers the highlights of October. My next entry will be on November and December and will include more slide shows, a school board presentation, and my two trips to Washington, DC (Shepherdstown, WV, at the National Conservation Training Center) for work with the National Geographic Society. I love my life.