My Amazing Expedition Experience
Degrees of Change
Changing the face of leadership one degree, one career at a time.
by Josiah Tiblow, Act Six scholar
Thirty-three strangers? In the woods? For three days? A month before the Degrees of Change Summer Expedition, many things ran through my mind. From the nerves of being away from home without communication to the outside, to the uncertainty of not knowing what to expect. Yet, after Expedition, I want to do it again. Why? Because for those three days, I saw a glimpse into my Expedition group’s bright future as a community.
The first day of Expedition was a long one. Act Six scholars, Seed Teachers scholars, and Seed interns met early at the Degrees of Change building to wait for the bus. When it arrived at 9 a.m., we loaded our things and rode three hours to Camp Dudley in Naches, Washington.
During the ride, although students weren’t that familiar with each other, we connected very quickly. We started playing 20 questions together, and in not too long, the same people I was nervous to be around became very comfortable with each other. That was just the start of the community building and bonding during our journey.
When we arrived at Camp Dudley, we unpacked and moved our stuff to our cabins. After getting acquainted with our space, we had breakfast, were introduced to camp staff, and got a tour. Then we were split into two groups, one for zip lining and the other for kayaking. I was put into the zip lining group with some of my cadre and cabin mates.
But when the groups split, I wondered whether to go. The zip line was 30 feet high, and you had to climb staples in a tree to reach it. As someone scared of heights, I was initially hesitant. I insisted on staying at the bottom and holding the ladder for others.
It must have been evident that I was nervous because my group members started hyping me up. Finally, feeling confident because of my peers, I climbed up and went down the zip line with no problem. I had so much fun the first time that I went again and had just as much fun the second time.
As the first day faded, we gathered around a campfire, made s’mores, and talked about what had happened so far. After a while, Lex, Act Six Northwest director, gathered our attention and told us that we would discuss our stories with our cadres. We would have a moderator for the session to help us get started, and to help us dig deeper into our responses.
After being given time to ponder our responses, I met with my cadre mates. At first, we were hesitant because we were uncomfortable. But then our moderator June shared her story, which started a chain reaction for the rest of us.
As I listened to my cadre mates, I reflected on my own story. I thought about my struggles with my father and eventual experience with the justice system, which led to my desire to become an attorney. In unique ways, each cadre mate’s story reminded me more and more of my own, from moving around a lot in the past, to similar passion-building experiences. We ended the night with a more casual conversation, leaving us feeling much more comfortable with each other.
The second day brought many more opportunities for us to grow as a community. The activity that stood out to me that day was rock climbing. Like zip lining, rock climbing requires a significant mental barrier to overcome. The wall to the top was again about 30 feet tall, with enough space for two people to climb simultaneously.
After zip lining the first day, I was ready to go and was the first person up. I reached the top, hoping to show my peers that they could do it as well. But at first, a lot of my peers were understandably nervous. Watching some people go up, you could see when they were unsure and lacked confidence.
The response of the group was to reassure the climbers, from advising on where to step to reassuring them that they could do it. Even when someone couldn’t make it to the top, the amount of support was unwavering. This stuck with me and reminded me how fast our community had been able to grow together.
Over the three days of Expedition, it was amazing how everyone was able to support each other. From the reassurances given during ziplining and rock climbing, to the understanding and sympathy given while we were sharing our stories, I saw many bonds and relationships form. Expedition was an amazing experience that catalyzed our community of students.
Josiah Tiblow?is an Act Six scholar who will be attending Saint Martin’s University this fall as part of Cadre 6.