GOALS Scholarships Inspire Youth Exploration
The Bachus & Schanker Cares Foundation provided 23 scholarships for Class I participants with GOALS (Get Out and Learn Something). The mission of GOALS is to “inspire exploration in youth through multi-day wilderness river programs.” This summer through the donation from the Foundation, middle school students from Evergreen, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs were able participate in the GOALS curriculum and walk away with an increased sense of confidence and comfort outdoors, a knowledge of the difference between healthy risks and unhealthy risks, and an understanding of the importance of conservation to preserve similar experiences for future generations.
One of the 8th grade students in a group sponsored by the foundation wrote the following thank you note to the canyon (quoted word for word), “Dear Canyon: “Sitting here listening to the soothing sound of your river, I would like to thank you. I believe this is a once in a lifetime experience and everyone deserves to see your beautiful rocks and just take some just with the wilderness and themselves. First off, I would like to thank you for helping me realize who I really am and how lucky I am to be who I am. This trip has given me not only the opportunity to team build but also to push my individual self. I have been able to truly understand how good it feels to be caring and help others. I have really been able to be the person I want to be thanks to you. Even though tomorrow I am going to the civilized world I will remember you forever. Your beautiful cliffs inspire me.”
The Bachus & Schanker Cares Foundation is glad to have played a part in the experience these students had with GOALS. Learn more about their programs at https://www.goalsonrivers.org/.
