by Dylan Elzinga –
Talking with Bayside Middle School students about writing and the media, Associate Publisher Deborah Rogers challenged them to write articles about what inspires them, with the direction that any pieces that met the criteria would be considered for publication in our August Kids issue. Here, from the point of view of a 14 year old, is the response to the question “What’s your Passion?” Thank you to Ms Moore and all her students. Read on to meet a potential journalist of the future!
It’s beautiful. The bright greens, blues, reds and purples dance in the sky off in the distance. It’s silent, except for the howling of the wolves every now and then, and the soft sound of the river. Its amazing, and I knew I was hooked from the first moment.
This is one of my favourite memories. It is the first time I really noticed the true beauty of nature. I was seven years old, and had just moved to Smithers. It was winter and was very cold. I have moved around a lot since then, and am now living in Brentwood Bay. There are barely any places to go and just be in peace and quiet around here, which sucks because I miss things like that.
Luckily I have recently been accepted into a Wilderness School Program run by the non-profit organization, Power to Be. Wilderness School is a program for kids who like that kind of stuff, like the outdoors, but don’t always have the opportunity to get into it. It gives us the chance to be one with nature and experience things we don’t get to do on a daily basis. The group meets at the old site of the Prospect Lake Golf Course where we get ready to go. We go on one trip a month and sometimes we have family gatherings or special events. The trips can be anywhere from one day up to 12 days in the summer. During the trips, we do anything from kayaking and hiking to snowshoeing and camping. If anyone doesn’t have the gear they need, the leaders at Power to Be will lend it to you.
This program helps kids by giving them something to look forward to every month. It helps them connect with one another, meet new people and experience activities that allow them to explore their comfort level and abilities. I feel lucky to have been chosen to be involved in this program because it gives me a chance to do things I wouldn’t otherwise get to do, and I have also made some good friends. We were all accepted into the program in grade eight, and we will continue to work together for the next three years. Power to Be is a way to have fun and learn at the same time.
Power to Be provides programs like the Wilderness School for a small annual fee. They are able to do this using donations from the community. If you want to learn more about Power to Be, visit https://powertobe.ca/.
Dylan Elzinga is a grade eight student at Bayside Middle School. He loves skateboarding and spending time outdoors. He is looking forward to doing both of these things this summer.
