Flashback!
Ding Dong! I’m standing in front of a house waiting for someone to answer the door and all of a sudden I have a flashback to 2012 when I first joined Boy Scouts. I was sitting in a car driving to El Rancho Cima summer camp. We finally arrived at the camp and I eagerly looked out the window to spot our campsite. “There it is!” I shouted to my friends. The campsite was on a riverbank. We immediately spotted a water moccasin and a school of fish, reminding me that many creatures call a river home.
Few days into camping, I remembered going on a twelve-mile hike, the longest trek of my life. We had just started hiking up a rocky trail, BOOM! I slipped on a loose rock and badly scuffed my arm and knee. I really wanted to complete the hike so I decided to persevere to the end. Thankfully, someone had brought a first aid kit and patched me up teaching me the Boy Scout motto, “be prepared”. We eventually reached a horse ranch where we heard the stomping of hundreds of horses. The counselors frightened us with a tale that these horses were dangerous making our legs quiver. Nevertheless, we overcame our fear but to be safe we became as small and quiet as a mouse while passing the horses. After a few more miles of bonding with friends, we arrived at a steep hill. We walked along a winding, narrow, cacti filled path along the hillside. Unfortunately, I wasn’t wearing any protection and received cuts along my legs, reminding me the importance of being prepared. Finally, we arrived at the summit and the view was spectacular, after conquering my fear of heights. I peered over the edge and was amazed to discover hawks, deer, and vultures below me. Additionally, I noticed replanted trees along other paths, which reminded me to preserve nature. After sometime, we started hiking back and on the way someone littered the ground with trash. The counselor reminded him to Leave no Trace, an outdoor code promoting conservation, and how littering can affect the environment.
“May I help you?” inquired an elderly voice snapping me out of my flashback and I began my sales pitch. “Hello, my name is Zayd, I’m a Boy Scout, trying to raise money for camp. I am selling handmade survival wristbands. Would you like to support me?” Since that first experience at summer camp, I participated in over twenty campouts, and through them I learned valuable life skills such as conquering my fears, allowing me to pursue new ventures. In addition, I acquired useful talents such as first aid and knot tying. Furthermore, I discovered the importance of bonding with friends. Finally, I gained an appreciation for nature and discovered its significance. By protecting nature, we can give a gift to future generations. In conclusion, outdoor experiences shape a person’s character, therefore, I encourage others to take chances, get messy, and make mistakes.
1st Place Winner, Zayd Latheef, Middle School Division
