Explore, enjoy, protect, & Educate After one club outing, an activist is born

Eco Club, Crenshaw High School

Muthoni Gaciku: 'If many more people follow the LNT principles all the extraordinary places on our earth, like Yosemite, will retain their beauty.' PHOTO BY BILL VANDERBERG

My name is Muthoni Gaciku and I am 16 years old. From the time I could walk, I've always loved nature and the peace and calmness it has to offer. I am a member of the Eco Club at Crenshaw High School sponsored by the Sierra Club Building Bridges to the Outdoors program.

This program is geared towards bridging the gap between inner-city kids and the great outdoors, so that we get the chance to experience and see things we otherwise would not see in our community. Spring Break of 2007, I was among 12 privileged kids given the opportunity to experience wilderness at its best. Our destination was Yosemite National Park for a week-long expedition in the back country of magnificent Yosemite. This trip was made possible by Yosemite Institute and a program called WildLink.

Upon entering the park, I could barely keep my mouth closed because of the immense beauty that I was witnessing right in front of me. It is one thing to view pictures and watch The Discovery Channel, but it is a whole new world when one sees it physically. I cannot fully explain the feeling I got as I stood beside the car and gazed into Yosemite Valley, somewhat mesmerized by its splendor. I had a sudden calm that I'd never had before, and it seemed that I could just stand there for an eternity. This is how life should be -- relaxed! No running here and there trying to get errands done, rushing to meetings and getting stuck in traffic. There was nothing to distract you from the peace of nature. I would come to consider Yosemite as my second home.

My love for Yosemite pushed me to want to take care of it and help preserve it. In order to do this, I would need to follow the principles of Leave No Trace (LNT) that I had learned from the Eco Club. One of the LNT principles that I applied during my trip was 'Leave What You Find'. During the expedition, we climbed to the top of Clouds' Rest and I spotted a really pretty rock. Every part of me wanted to take it home and keep it for myself. However I knew that I shouldn't for if I did, the next person to climb the mountain wouldn't be able to have the same experience that I had. I also realized that the rock was so appealing to me because of where it was. If I had taken it home, the rock wouldn't be as special to me outside of the place I had found it.

My experience at Yosemite was unforgettable. I was tested both physically and mentally, and it took great perseverance to survive the wilderness. I'm convinced that if many more people follow the LNT principles all the extraordinary places on our earth, like Yosemite, will retain their beauty.