Jackson Sage
Hometown:
Seattle, Washington
What is your favorite camping experience/story?
Last summer I hiked Section J of the Pacific Crest Trail with my dad. This is the longest part of the trail without crossing a road (75 miles) so it really felt like we were out there alone.
Why did you decide to join ITW?
I think that ITW is a great way for students to get off of campus, explore the awesome wilderness that surrounds us, and meet other people with similar interests.
What prompted you to apply to become a leader?
I wanted to help satisfy students’ desire to go outside and experience nature. I have also met some good friends through this club and wanted to lead trips where other people can make more friends too.
What do you hope to accomplish as a leader?
Since we just became a Chartered School Organization, there is a lot of bureaucratic work on the front end of trips that is very inefficient. I want to help streamline all of the pre-trip and financial work so that we can focus on having fun on trips and getting people into the wild!
Fun Fact:
I have broken both bones in my left and right forearms and several fingers, but I have never had an injury that required stitches.
Chloe Donlan
Hometown:
Bellevue, Washington (right across the water from Seattle)
What is your favorite camping experience/story?
I went on my first backpacking trip along the coast of the Olympic National Rainforest. We camped on the beach for three nights, and then went into the Hoh rainforest for the remaining night. We did yoga on the beach every morning, and ended at a natural hot spring.
Why did you decide to join ITW?
I decided to join Into the Wild after I went on the freshman orientation-backpacking trip through Point Reyes. I was extremely eager to explore all different parts of California, and Into the Wild offers the opportunity for adventure.
What prompted you to apply to become a leader?
My decision to apply to become a leader stemmed from the Point Reyes trip. I was impressed with the amount of knowledge that the trip leaders possessed, as well as with how friendly and welcoming they were. I wanted to be able to foster connections among participants while encouraging sustainable, outdoorsy adventure.
What do you hope to accomplish as a leader?
As a leader, I hope to learn more about myself and about the great outdoors. I hope to learn more about working on a team with different types of people, and how to ensure that the voice of both introverts and extroverts can be heard. It is important to recognize that everyone has their own story to tell, and student leaders should strive to listen and learn from everyone they meet.
Fun Fact:
I volunteered at the Seattle Humane Society for two years, and once got to hold a baby wallaby! It was adorable.
John Strong
Hometown:
Saratoga, CA
What is your favorite camping experience/story?
Everyone likes adventure, so when my friend and I took a wrong turn in Big Basin Redwoods State Park and our 7-mile sunrise hike turned into a 16-mile monstrosity; we enjoyed it just the same.
Why did you decide to join ITW?
Into the Wild is great because anyone can join it; it is incredibly inclusive. You don’t need to have any experience to go on trips so “joining” was a no brainer, I just saw a cool trip and decided to go on it.
What prompted you to apply to become a leader?
I had a great experience on the freshman-backpacking trip and wanted to help others have as much fun as I did. ITW trips are a great place to bond with the friends you already have and meet new people.
What do you hope to accomplish as a leader?
I just want to run killer trips. In addition to that, I would like to help grow the program and increase the clubs reach so that more students get to experience how fun an ITW can be.
Fun Fact:
I have a love-hate relationship with cats.
Sam Kennard
Hometown:
Seattle, WA
What is your favorite camping experience/story?
Hiking in the Andes with two of my best high school friends and wouldn’t you know I forgot my dang sleeping bag. We started hiking around 9 pm and got to the top about two hours later. The logic all along was that there would be a hostel somewhere along the trail to sleep, but we arrived at the top and were met instead with a bunch of angry dogs growling at us, and a man with a rifle standing outside a cluster of huts. Rather than make small talk we decided to backtrack into a cow pasture and set up a makeshift camp. My two friends crawled into their 0 degree bags while I put all of my efforts into trying to light some damp twigs on fire with a flint and tinder kit my grandma got me 10 Christmases ago. No success. What was shaping up to be a miserable night ended suddenly when the sun peeked over the snowcapped mountains and a view more spectacular than any we had seen unfurled before us. We were on top of the world, locked in a trance that was broken only by a young boy riding past us on his donkey on the way to school. We later realized he was making fun of us for sleeping with the cows.
Why did you decide to join ITW?
Into the Wild provides an outlet for students to make connections in an exciting environment as well as engage in outdoor activities they are passionate about. I joined because I wanted to have a hand in facilitating this awesome process.
What prompted you to apply to become a leader?
A fleeting moment of inspiration and motivation sitting behind a computer screen.
What do you hope to accomplish as a leader?
I want ITW to be the very best, that no one ever was. To catch them is my very test; to train them is my cause.
Fun Fact:
Nobody ever got hurt trying.
To learn more about Into the Wild or get involved, visit their Facebook page or website!