Trek Day Two--Big Bertha, Angry Mobs, and Fish (And Walking)

While the rest of the teenaged world slumbered, our Trekkers were up at the crack of dawn, (6:30,) and getting ready to roll. Breakfast had to be made, tents taken down, carts packed, and lunch--day one of fry bread--needed to be ready for the day ahead. Some common camp occurrences--braiding hair, reading scriptures, prayers, one last trip to the outhouses, oh, and an exploding lighter. (Apparently leaving a lighter on a hot metal sheet is a BAD idea.)

With carts packed a little more securely (experience helps) the Trekkers were ready to set off. They hadn't gone far when the day's first decision had to be made: an off-road trail that cut a few miles off the day's trekking, or stick to the main road for a longer, but easier route. Being the tough and adventuresome teenagers that they are, they took the carts for a bit of off-road, four, (or um), two-wheeling.

Getting the carts off the road provided a challenge, the trail was rough, but the biggest challenge was yet to come.

BIG BERTHA--a hill so named because, well, because she was BIG--steep, winding, rocky, and narrow. Somehow the group had to get 17 loaded handcarts up this hill, or turn around, re-trace their steps, and go back to the road. Scouts from every family and company hiked to the top to check it out. A council was held. The youth decided they would continue up the hill and they came up with a unique plan to get to the top.

UNITY--that's the thing that impressed me the most about this group, even over the two previous Treks I've been on. The plan they decided on was a relay of sorts. Each company had a designated piece of the hill, marked off by their company colors. (See Day One's post, the group was divided into three companies of about 50 kids, red, yellow, and blue.) At the transition point the carts were handed off from one group to the next. Using this plan every company took a role in getting every cart up the hill. On previous Treks the kids had worked together by company only so one group of pullers had to take a cart the entire way to the top.

Did it work?

Absolutely. I have never seen a group of Trekkers get up Big Bertha so fast. All able-bodied young men and young women pulled carts, switched off, and helped each other. Those who didn't feel like they could pull up the hill brought water for the pullers, cheered them on, and moved the carts out of the way at the top. (NOTE: The pictures do not do justice to how long or steep this hill was.)

UNITY--so strong it made me want to cry. NONE of the adult leaders helped pull the carts or suggested this plan. It was all the kids. What a lesson! Working together, relying on each other, they accomplished their goal, and they did it in record time. We had one casualty--toes crushed under a cart--but that valiant Trekker was loaded into a cart to continue the journey with the others.

Big Bertha conquered, the Trekkers got a much deserved rest--about 30 minutes--before they trekked onward and upward, and upward and upward and upward. (It was a long climb.) Hot, dry, dusty, muscles tired from Big Bertha--still they climbed.

A grassy, shady hill, and lunch (fry bread, peanut butter, jam and honey) brought a much-needed rest. They ate and then curled up under the trees (too tired to worry about dirt or bugs), laid down weary bodies, and drifted off into...

SHOTS FIRED.

MASKED RIDERS!

An angry mob from the other side of the woods, shouting "Get out Mormons!" "We don't want any of your kind here!"

Again, reminiscent of what the early Mormon pioneers had to endure. A few moments peace and then run off by an angry mob.

Chased from their grassy resting place the journey resumed. And they walked and walked and walked (uphill this time)...you get the picture.

Finally they left the trail and went into anther meadow and after about a mile of off-roading through a little woods until they had reached...

PORTABLE OUTHOUSES!
(Which of course meant camp for the night.)

No mosquitoes (or at least less mosquitoes) in this camp, more wind and more dust, but an incredible view of the mountains. As they set up camp for the second night, hungry stomachs turned thoughts to...

Dinner.

But like most things on Trek, there was a surprise in store and dinner wasn't going to be an easy task. Before it could be prepared the families had a "stewardship" talk. The kids were told that they have a stewardship over the land--the plants, animals, water, air--everything that makes up our earth. (You could say they were going green.) They learned that while all of these things are for our use, we have a sacred trust not to over-use or abuse this beautiful earth that God has given us. They heard stories about early pioneers, chastised by their leaders for over-hunting or wasting their resources.

Then the interesting part began.

Fish and fishing are common in the Northwest, so many of the Trekkers had already had experience catching and cleaning their own supper. For others...lets just say they had a lesson about where meat really comes from.

The fish had already been caught, but cleaning was another story.

Amidst the blood and gore that cleaning a fish creates, there was one kid who passed out, (and a lot of gross-out moments and facial expressions). Although not everyone took the "opportunity" to clean a fish, by the end everyone had learned a lesson in stewardship, fish anatomy, and had gained a greater appreciation for fast foods and grocery stores.

After dinner, the Trekkers settled in for the night, but three riders appeared on the horizon. This time they brought good news, mail from home--Pony Express style instead of internet.

By the time they crawled into their sleeping bags, most of the Trekkers were so tired that even the howling winds, howling coyotes, and rumors of a bear siting couldn't keep them awake.

Day Two Comments--What did you learn from conquering Big Bertha? What did you learn about your own strength and unity. What about stewardship and where our food comes from? What was your favorite moment of day two?

Youth Trek--Day One

***Note all the pictures for the Trek posts were taken by my fellow Trek paparazzi (and beloved husband), David Wolf, who is an AMAZING photographer, check out his website!***

Suppose you take 150 kids, aged 14-18, make them leave behind their cell phones, iPods, Xboxes, internet service, (and yes, even make-up and deodorant), dress up in clothing from the 1800's, divide them into "families" with people they may or may not know, and then tell them they have to load all of their gear into a handcart, and push it around a mountain in heat and dust for four days?

Crazy, right? No teenager in their right mind would do that.

Wrong.

Members of the Lacey Washington Stake from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (Mormons) did just that. Not only did they survive, they grew, they learned, and most of them actually loved it!

This was my third Youth Trek serving as the "fly on the wall," the paparazzi, or officially trek videographer. "Trek" is a reenactment of what many of these kids' pioneer ancestors were forced to do when they were driven from their homes in Illinois because of religious persecution. The Mormon Pioneers had to push handcarts from Illinois to what is now the Salt Lake Valley. Trek is a link to their past, but more than that its preparation for the future. It's hard and hot and dusty and smelly, but it teaches them that they can do hard things, they can rely on each other, and they can rely on their Father in Heaven.

The Trekkers started day one--fresh faced, eager, nervous, and clean. Fresh-faced and eager stayed around for pretty much the whole trip. Clean was one of the first casualties due to dust and sweat.

At registration the trekkers were assigned a "company" (red, yellow, or blue) and given a bandanna with that color. After a few "get to know you games" and lunch, they had to pack all of their belongings (albeit meager, after a strict pack check), dutch ovens and other means for cooking, sleeping bags and tents into one handcart per family. A family consisted of a volunteer adult couple (Ma and Pa) and 7-10 of the teenagers.

Its always fun to watch the kids pack their carts on the first day. The Ma and Pa have been instructed (yest there is such a thing as Ma and Pa training) to stand back and let the kids pack the carts. Securing everyone's gear with ropes and tarp to the handcart provides an interesting challenge. The load can't hang over the sides or the back and it has to be balanced to make it easy to pull. They don't usually get it right the first time, so I saw lopsided loads, wide loads, and loads with saggy behinds.

Once the carts were packed, then the real fun began, and by fun I mean walking. They walked, and walked, and walked, and walked, and when they were done with that they walked some more. Devoid of any other means of communication (aka texting) they talked to each other. (Novel idea, but it worked!)

A couple of miles in they were met by a group of women who begged the Trekkers to take their babies with them--the orphan trail. Each family received at least one baby (dolls weighted to feel more a real baby) some had twins. The babies came with names and instructions about how to take care of them. (Think egg, doll or flour sack assignment in "Life Skills" Classes.) In this case if the baby was mishandled it was pronounced dead and the whole company had to stop for a funeral.

After a good long time of walking (and pushing and pulling) the Trekkers stopped for some activities at Gnat Flats. Trust was a big issue during a bridge building exercise. One Trekker walked across boards held between members of their family. Team work was needed to "walk" a giant triangle across the meadow with one Trekker standing inside.

By the time they left Gnat Flats and walked and walked and walked and walked (you get the idea), they were getting pretty tired and very hungry. They were happy to find out that the next stop brought a chance for food--at a price. One family member was picked to go hunting (target shooting) with a black powder rifle. If the family sharp-shooter hit the target the family got jerky, otherwise...(okay they all got jerky and dried apples anyway, but most of them hit the target.)

After more walking (I sense a theme here,) three men arrived on horseback with a message from the U.S. government. This part of the Trek was another reenactment of The Mormon Battalion--a group 500 Mormon men who were asked to leave their families and enlist in the U.S. Army during the Mexican war in 1846. As with the original Mormon Battalion, all of the men of the group went with the Battalion and the women were left to pull alone up a long steep hill. The ladies stepped up to plate and with courage and determination (and help from a few "angels" scattered along the path) made it up to the top of the hill before the men were released from the "Mormon Battalion."

They walked some more (that may have been the most realistic part of the Trek, a lot of walking), and finally reached camp for the night. But even then there was no rest for the weary. Tents had to be put up and the carts had to be unloaded. This points out one of my favorite lessons of Trek--everybody is needed. Whether you are pushing and pulling a cart or setting up camp, every single member of the family has to contribute. If one person is sick, or hurt or just lazy, the whole family suffers.

Nightfall brought stew, rest for tired bodies and, oh yeah, mosquitoes! Luckily one of the modern convinces they were allowed to bring was mosquito repellent. It helped keep the less determined bugs at bay. (Not completely away, but a bit less thick.)

With the buzzing of mosquitoes, snoring of new family members, and coyotes singing a sweet and (hopefully) distant lullaby, the first day of Trek drew to a close.

I will post more about the rest of Trek soon. There was so much going on I need to take it one day at a time. In the meantime I want to hear your comments. If you went on Trek, tell me what was your favorite part of day one? If you didn't go on Trek feel free to put in your two cents about what you think of the idea of Trek and what makes 150 teenagers do something like this. (And don't say they do it to meet members of the opposite sex. I told one of my son's friends he could go on Trek and meet girls. His reply was, "that's still not worth it.)

Summer in Wonderland

When you ask a kid “what are you doing this summer?” you’ll probably get answers like going on vacation, camping, swimming, or just hanging out. If you ask a kid that question and get an answer like celebrating my unbirthday, having tea with a guy in a big hat, or playing Simon Says with a murderous queen and a bunch of cards, you might think they’ve been out in the sun too long or that they’ve been eating off the wrong side of the mushroom. Or it might just be that they’re involved in summer drama.

Last year Bretschneider and Kirkwood Musical Productions debut summer performance of "Aladdin" was a hit and a lot of fun for the kids involved. This year they’re set to do it again with Disney’s "Alice in Wonderland".

I got to visit “Wonderland” (for now, a dance studio on the east side of Olympia). I saw “Alice” shrink and grow, I saw a pompous dodo bird directing a host of goldfish, mermaids, and lobsters in a caucus race, and I saw a group of kids aged 6-15 having a great time.

It isn’t all adventures in Wonderland. There’s a lot of hard work—learning lines, songs, and dance steps. Sometimes (okay often) the studio is hot. And sometimes (okay often) there’s a lot of waiting around and being quiet while other people are doing their parts. It’s an ambitious project—a full-scale musical complete with song and dance numbers, costumes, and sets ready to go on in about four weeks. (Not to mention wrangling more than 40 kids aged 6-15). If what I saw today is any indication, this will be another fun and amazing production.

Anyone who is familiar with the Disney version of “Alice in Wonderland” will recognize the songs, the characters, and many of the scenes. The Mad Hatter is there, the white rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, a caterpillar and twin boys, one of which may (or may not) be named Dum. You’ll see my favorite character, the Cheshire Cat in triplicate and several versions of Alice, from small to tall.

Mark your calendars now for a fun night of family entertainment. “Alice in Wonderland” will be performed at the Timberline high school theater in Lacey, (6120 Mullen Road Southeast) and will run July 22nd, and 23rd and 29th and 30th. There will be a matinee performance each day from 10-11:15 and an evening performance from 7-8:15. Tickets at the door are $7 for individuals and $25 for a family. Advance and group tickets are being sold by cast members for $5 for an individual and $20 for a family. You can contact me through this blog or Elizabeth Bretschneider at ehbretsc@comcast.net for more information.

Creating Tradition--"Fiddler on the Roof" at Aspire Part 2

This is the perfect musical for us--a well-written piece of theater and one filled with challenges... As important as anything this is the perfect first musical because it is a beautiful story about community at its best.

--Chris Traber, director of Aspire's "Fiddler on the Roof"

From the moment the young actors and actresses danced on stage singing Tradition I knew that Aspire's production of Fiddler on the Roof was going to be something special. There was something in the cast's energy and professionalism that struck me immediately. Keep in mind, these are middle school students--roughly aged 12-14. They were incredible. I watched all five performances of Fiddler. (Confession time, my daughter was in it.) I felt their intensity every time they came on stage. I got chills every time I heard them sing Sabbath Prayer. I was amazed every time I saw the bottle dance. (No tricks, ten kids were really balancing bottles on their heads and DANCING!) I was touched every time I heard Far From the Home I Love. And I wanted to cry every time I watched the actors, portraying the Jews driven from their village, proudly raise their arms to the last strains of Tradition.

In short, I laughed, I cried--I was impressed.

The play itself is beautiful. In my opinion, Fiddler on the Roof is one of the best written poignant, funny, and entertaining plays ever put on Broadway. For that I give credit to Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Jerome Robbins--respectively original writers, composers, director and choreographer. Still, to put a production of this magnitude into the hands of 12-14 year-olds (and their fearless directors) and come up with the show they did is an amazing accomplishment. And Aspire has only been in existence for a year!

The leads and their understudies were incredible, but every single actor contributed their best. They knew their lines, they knew the dances, they were acting the whole time they were on stage, and they looked like they were having fun. There was so much energy and emotion put into all the scenes that I almost forgot that I was watching middle school students. (Except that most of the male leads were shorter than the female leads. And yes, the line "When did he grow to be so tall..." brought a laugh every single time.)

Watching the actors cry and celebrate together after the last performance I knew that they had done more than put on a great production. They had achieved what Ms. Traber had hoped for when she chose Fiddler on the Roof for Aspire's first musical--a sense of community and the beginnings of a wonderful new tradition.
Photos courtesy of David Wolf Photography

Creating Tradition--"Fiddler on the Roof" at Aspire (Part 1)

How do you unite a group of students from 13 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and bound for 3 different high schools? This was one problem facing brand new Aspire Middle School in Lacey, Washington. As a school for the performing arts, Aspire has worked to achieve unity through drama, dance, and music. To celebrate the unity and sense of community in their new school, Aspire chose "Fiddler on the Roof" for its inaugural musical production.

Through their portrayal of the sometimes humorous, often tragic lives of Jews living in a small town in Tsarist Russia the students have learned about tradition and community. Through hours of after school and weekend rehearsals the students are learning to work together to become their own community. As the characters and scenes took shape, new friendships, and talents have been formed.

Tonight (Thursday, June 10th,) is the opening night for "Fiddler on the Roof". The show is being performed at at Timberline High School on 6120 Mullen Road SE in Lacey. Performances will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (June 10th, 11th and 12th) at 7:00 and at a Matinee on Saturday at 2:00. You can buy tickets on-line through Seat Yourself. Seating is limited and close to being sold out so if you are buying tickets at the door I suggest you come early.

I'm calling this blog post "Part One" because later I'll post my review of "Fiddler" as well as quotes from the cast and crew involved later. (Along with more photos.)

The selection process for incoming students at Aspire has been a source of controversy in this community. I would urge you to go see "Fiddler on the Roof" and see how these students have risen above the controversy and come together to show their unity, not only for their school, but for all of Lacey.

More Than Just Skin Deep--Creating Strong Female Characters

**NOTE This blog post has pictures of BEAUTIFUL, NORMAL, UN-PHOTOSHOPED, REAL teen aged girls to illustrate my point***

We’re all bombarded with it—gorgeous women, dressed in almost nothing, perfect bodies, perfect skin, perfect teeth, Photoshop perfection. It’s hard for a woman to feel like anything more than a freak compared to those images, much less to feel beautiful.

Advertisers, television producers, and Hollywood directors have gotten the message loud and clear—SEX SELLS. But what are we selling to a fourteen year-old girl, just growing into a woman and struggling to be accepted and more important—struggling to accept herself?

The message they're getting is harsh and painfully clear.

BEAUTY IS LIMITED TO SEX APPEAL.

A news story in my community brought this into focus for me. A fourteen-year-old girl, trying to hold onto her boyfriend, sent him picture of herself—naked. The story came out when that picture was sent from cell phone to cell phone around the four middle schools in town. The community was outraged and the boyfriend and several others were charged with distributing child pornography.

Less than a week later a Superbowl commercial showed a popular model, sitting i

n a bubble bath with her cell phone. She took a picture of herself and said, “I wonder what would happen if I hit ‘send’.” The next images were of men, dropping things, neglecting whatever they were supposed to be doing to stare at their cell phones.

THIS WAS FUNNY. AND SEXY! AND COMPLETELY ACCEPTABLE!

Double standard? Conflicting messages?

I recently read a quote from a General Authority in my church, Elder M. Russell Ballard, (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—Mormons).

He said, “Popular culture today often makes women look silly, inconsequential, mindless, and powerless. It objectifies them and disrespects them and then suggests that they are able to leave their mark on mankind only by seduction…”

As a writer of young adult stories, targeting teen aged girls, I’m increasingly conscious of the message that my stories send. As a mother (I know that comes into this a lot,) I am especially conscious of the messages that are being fed to my almost-teen aged daughter. I find myself searching as I read for what makes a strong female character.Where is a woman's power? Is it sex appeal? Is it seduction?

Nope.

My own case in point, in my first attempt at a YA novel, I worked hard to make my main character well-rounded. She worked in a nursing home, did community service, and she was a good friend. Then in

the name of word count I cut a bunch of those scenes out. After reading the story, a member of my critique group told me that the main character and the villaness, (a woman who used sex appeal to get what she wanted,) in the story were just alike and she couldn't figure out why the hero of the story would like either of them. I tried to defend myself by saying, “but the main character is hot.” Guess what? It wasn’t enough.

So, I went in search of strong female characters who didn’t rely on sex appeal. Some of my favorites, Katniss from THE HUNGER GAMES, (they tried to make her sexy, but she just came off as tough and everything she did was for her family), Hattie from HATTIE BIG SKY (homesteaded without the help of the rich and handsome rancher next door and showed compassion and love towards her and Mardie from THE RING (female boxer who learned to accept herself for what she was).

One of my new favorite character is Terra in Justine Chen's NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. Terra is born with a port wine stain on her face. She works hard to maintain a perfect body to balance out the imperfection she sees in her face. The story is about learning to accept yourself for who you are. By the end Terra finds beauty in herself as she is and beauty in those around her, even in her overweight mother.

So what makes a woman strong and beautiful? Is it perfection? Is is sex appeal?

NO!

I submit that what makes a woman strong and beautiful is what's inside--self-reliance, compassion, and intelligence. And reality--zits, flat chests, big thighs, bad hair, and all is far more beautiful and far more interesting than Photoshop perfection could ever be.

So as I create my characters I will build into them courage and flaws and

character and compassion. Hopefully, the message my stories send will give teenager girls a sense of how beautiful and strong they already are.

Help me out. What are some of your favorite strong female characters? What makes them strong? What makes them beautiful?