"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... " -Cesar Chavez

This weekend I had the opportunity to do two amazing things. 1) I spent Friday and Saturday with four amazing young ladies from the local high school who have decided to commit a year of their lives to the Young Stewards & Leaders (YSL) program.  YSL is the newest program that I developed.  In short, YSL is a conservation leadership program that will focus on building on these high school students leadership skills and raise awarness about their community.  The students (6 total) will learn about environmental/conservation issues in Jackson and how they are affecting the community and surrounding areas.  Students will aid in developing the program by having input in every aspect of it, from the speakers series to the project they have to develop and present.   Students will learn skills that will help them in the future in their academic and professional careers.  These participants are our future, they realize that and I look forward to working with them this year. 

On Sunday, I attended my 1st TEDx talk.  I attended primarily to see my friend Juan Martinez speak and before this I had never heard of TED.  I'm glad I know about it now.  As I sat and listened to Juan speak about his experience that brought him to where he is at now, one thing stuck out to me the most.  Juan said, "I do this for my family."   It was then with tears in my eyes that I realized that this is why I do my work as well.  I do it for my family.  Not only for my immediate family, who I try to make proud of me in any way possible but for "family" in the broad sense.  We are all family... in everything we do to work towards our future, to prepare the next generation with the tools to make the right decisions and connect them to their public lands in order for agencies like the NPS to stay relevant.  My parents will always be proud of me for what I have accomplished thus far.  My grandma, despite her thinking that I live in a cabin in the woods like Henry David Thoreau and should move back to TX to work at a bank (because to her being a teller is the ultimate success), I know she is proud of me.  The work that I do and my story will never change the world but hopefully these students that I get to work with will be inspired enough to carry my work forward and working together we can make all the difference!

"We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community - and this nation."
Cesar Chavez

                               Roosevelt Arch - "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People"