Last night I spent a few hours reading applications, watching videos, visiting websites, looking at pictures, and thinking a lot about the project. There were fourteen applicants from seven schools in three states (OR, WA, and CA; the only states I targeted). I’d skimmed each application as it came in, but setting aside the time to go through them carefully one by one was crucial. The quality of the submitted material is outstanding. It’s been tons of fun to look through it all, and I hope it was fun to work on.
I’ve tried not to make this about money. Money should be an enabler, not an incentive. My goal isn’t to find people that I can pay to hike, it’s to find people who are on the fence about whether to go or not and give them a slight nudge. And it’s not as much about helping people have cool experiences as it is about helping people learn how to turn personal experiences into stories that they can share. Subtle differences, I know, but I think they’re important. That said, the genuineness and enthusiasm that comes through the applications is humbling. It’s awesome to know there are people who care about stuff that I care about. It’s gratifying that I can help, even if just a little.
But a little is all I can help, and I understand that money is a big factor. Four gear companies have expressed interest in partially sponsoring Hike and Learn, but mostly I’m trying to pay for this out of my own pocket. As much as I’d like to give financial support to four or six or ten or all fourteen applicants, that won’t happen.
My biggest hope is that every person who applied got inspired enough to go do something outdoors this summer and tell their friends and family about it when they get back, even if they’re not part of Hike and Learn.
My biggest fear is that putting together the applications will be a flash in the pan–that, without support, a summer of hiking and storytelling will be impractical or even impossible.
I’ll be in touch with each applicant in the next day or two, and I’ll make a decision in a week.
