JT and Carleen talk Grand Canyon:
Here's a rundown:
Q: When Grand Classroom started in 2002, the Grand Canyon was the first trip… tell me about that.
A: I’ve always loved the outdoors. I have done a lot of traveling and found my heart was in the west. The Grand Canyon being the marvel that it is, I wanted to get kids off the pavement and outside.
Q: Now that we are here in 2020, everyone is talking about getting outside. What a wonderful place to go and bring students.
A: Indeed. I have been twice in the last 6 months and I’ve been able to explore some places I don’t normally get to explore which will open up more windows and doors for our groups in the future.
Q: What is one of your favorite things to do with groups of students on the trip?
A: Oftentimes, the kids - or adults - have never been to the Grand Canyon. We have figured out how to get them to the Grand Canyon without ever seeing it. We get them to the rim, we call it the blind walk, and line them up and have everyone open their eyes at the same time. The gasps and the looks on their faces are awesome.
Q: You talk about being at the top and looking down, do we do anything in the canyon?
A: One of my favorite moments is after we hike down into the canyon, and turn around and come up again and they feel the success of being back at the top! When we tell them that, of the 6 million people that visit the Grand Canyon every year, only 1% of them get to go below the rim, they feel like they have done something that very few people have had the chance to do.
** There are so many other things to experience on the Grand Canyon adventure. Another time, when we have more time, let’s talk about all the other places you can visit on your adventure out west.