By Heather McPherson

The year was 2009, I was a sophomore in high school, and I had no idea I was about to embark on a series of memorable and life-changing adventures that upcoming summer with the North Cascades Institute (NCI). I had a wonderful 10th grade biology teacher who really connected with her students and their interests. We’d have occasional conversations after class about environmental impact concerns and any other topics that were sparked by our class content. When my teacher received information about a new program called the Parks Climate Challenge with NCI and the National Parks Foundation, she encouraged me to apply. I didn’t know too much about climate change at the time, but I knew I was definitely interested in the opportunity to learn more while exploring a new area of Washington!

Fast-forward a few months to June and I was trying to zip up an oversized duffle bag of suggested clothing and hiking gear, and was cautiously excited and on my way to the meeting point at SeaTac Airport to join the rest of my cohort and NCI crew leaders. Read More from “Reflections on the Parks Climate Challenge program”