On a side note, one of our all-time best volunteers, Janessa Jannarone, teaches at Cross Bayou. Her daughter, Garcie, is in 2nd grade. Janessa and her husband, JC, met on a GTD event over 10 years ago. It was wonderful to see Janessa & Gracie and be a part of their camping and outdoor recreation school lessons.
The entire class lasted about 1 hour. I started with an introduction of myself & GTD and then explained the programs that we run. I showed them a 4 minute GTD highlight video of many of the adventures that await them in the wilderness. The kids loved it. After the video I began to teach them about the difference between base camping (usually done with gear that can be brought in by vehicle) and backpacking (which is done only with the gear that can be carried in your pack). They learned about checklists and the many items that go into a successful camping trip. I showed them tons of gear and explained "The 10 Essentials" items that you should always have with you while camping. These kids were phenomenal. Several had already experienced camping before with their family. They were eager to share their stories and ask smart questions.
