March Madness!

Hospitality House

A group of 10 awesome students made their way to the Hospitality House on Monday, March 9th. There was plenty of work for them to do on this beautiful day and everyone was in great spirits! The group got to do a little of everything, including working in the kitchen and in the garden and it was another helpful day at the Hospitality House.

Humane Society

Fluffy pups and adorable kittens were on the minds on the 12 students that went to the Humane Society on Thursday, March 12th. After taking a look at some of the cute animals that inhabit the Humane Society, students got to work sweeping, mopping, and cleaning up the organization for an event they were holding the next day. Student Zach Holtkamp said he enjoyed getting to pet cats and met the people working at the Humane Society.

Extreme Challenge

Eight courageous students braved the woods of the Greenway during our second Mountain Alliance Extreme Challenge. Two staff members acting as the "hares" laid down a trail for the rest of the group - the "hounds" - to follow, leaving challenges and teamwork activities for them to complete along the way. The group took advantage of this beautiful, sunny day and enjoyed tracking down the two elusive staff members, Jessie and James. 

LIFT Backpacking

The cold, rainy weather didn't stop this strong, energetic group of girls. We ventured out to Grayson Highlands in Virginia to hang out with the ponies and spend a weekend with just the girls. Junior Lucy Edy was a student leader on the trip and helped plan the menu, the route, and the activities that took place during the trip. After spending the spend in the Wise shelter, we hiked along some of the trails, saw a pony, and looped back to the Wise to spend another great night under the shelter. Despite the rain, the group had an amazing time! The sun finally broke through on Sunday morning and we enjoyed a nice, warm hike back to the bus as well as a great final picnic before we came back to Boone. 

Cooking/ Baking

We FINALLY got to do a Cooking/ Baking trip after all of that snowy and icy weather cancelled our other ones. Ten bakers went to Boone Healing Arts Center (who generously donated their space) on March 19th to make some delicious food. Recipes made included a yummy lasagna and some deserts. Students also got to meet Lynn Hill, the manager of the center. 

Backpacking

A group of adventurers made their way into the woods for a weekend of camping and hiking. They spent time in the Wilson Creek area and ran into plenty of other people who had the same idea! The weather was absolutely beautiful which made the creek crossings a little bit nicer. Great views, great people, and great food made this an awesome 3-day trip!

Climbing

Our climbing group was small, but mighty. They spent the day climbing and having a blast at Rocky Face Recreational Area. The easy access to numerous climbs makes this a great spot to bring groups. Everyone had the chance to climb as much as they wanted and the group really pushed themselves as the day went on. What better way to spend a Sunday than climbing outside in great weather with fun, amazing people?

Alpine Tower

The first Alpine Tower of the spring semester was a great success! We started off with the Swing by Choice on which students get to choose how high the rest of the group pulls them up and then, after saying commands, get to swing through the air with the greatest of ease! Students got to learn about the safety aspects of the swing and, which staff supervising and checking to make sure everything was correct, had the opportunity to help each student after them get set up. After swinging to our hearts content, we moved over to the tower and had accomplishment after accomplishment. Students who had never been to the top of the tower before conquered their fears and many students worked together to accomplish some of the more difficult aspects of the tower (including Hattie Cox and Lily McDannold conquering the corporate ladder together). All in all, it was an AWESOME day!

LIFT Horse Helpers

There was plenty to do out at Horse Helpers of the High Country in Zionville on March 26th. Seven girls ready to do service helped out at the organization that rescues abused and abandoned horses and helps them get back on their feet. The group really enjoyed having the opportunity to groom the horses, help out around the organization, and give back to a local non-profit. 

Amazing Race

Are you ready to run around Boone and complete tasks to become the ultimate champion? That is exactly what 14 students did on this semester's Amazing Race trip! After splitting into groups, the students were given a list of tasks that had to be completed before the end of the trip. The group to finish the most tasks OR to complete all of the tasks first was crowned the winner!

Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is one of the biggest and most beloved events in Boone! Each year we take a group of students on both nights of the film festival to watch outdoor and cultural films from around the world. They are films that inspire exploration and adventure and that make you want to get outside. Every year, students get to shoot shirts and hats off of the stage before the start of the show. Their efforts this year were fantastic, with several items getting up to the elusive balcony level. Both groups had a great time!

January and February Update!

LIFT Caving

The first LIFT trip of the spring semester was a great hit! A group of awesome ladies went exploring in the cave and had a great time. We took our time as we made our way through the cave, checking out all of the nooks and crannies. The group made its way to the Railroad Passage - a really cool section of the cave that we don't always have time to get to. Great conversations and great company kept the group in high spirits the whole day. What a great way to start off the semester!

80s Workout Day

This was a fun new trip where we all put on our best 80's workout outfits and danced to great 80's songs. We followed some of the trip leaders as they demonstrated very 80's style dance moves, then we got into groups and made up our own workout dances to our choice of 80's song. Overall, I think we all had a blast - and got a great workout by the end of it! I learned some great 80's workout dance moves! I would say that the most memorable thing was how each person or group presented the dance they had made up. Some presentations were hilarious, especially the one the trip leaders put together. I think they should start an 80's workout class together. I also managed to make up a dance to "Eye of the Tiger" with a group! --Lucy Edy, junior

App Ski Mountain 

We took a total of 3 trips to App Ski Mountain in January and February. On each of the trips, students had the option of taking a lesson before shredding up the slopes. Throughout our trips, we had brand new skiers and snowboarders as well as old pros. Each of the groups had a blast both in the lodge and on the slopes. "I really enjoyed getting to know everyone on the trips," says Zach Holtkamp, sophomore. "We had a blast shredding the gnar."

Restoration Project

Some awesome members of the High Country community joined us to learn about why Hardin Creek needs our help and how we can start to go about making an impact. After doing a few experiments, the students came back into the MA classroom to learn about the rain gardens that will be installed at the high school to collect run off and prevent it from entering the stream. Junior Emma Gummerson said that she learned more on that trip than in some past classes!

Caving 

This was a very fun trip that allowed me to experience Worley's while learning more about the cave. I also met people I didn't know before - a lot of cool people in the Mountain Alliance community, namely Maddie. I learned how to help people in the cave by bracing their feet with your hands so they don't slide. I think the most memorable part of the trip was swimming in the cave with Max. I accomplished my goal of being able to help people in the cave. -- Zach Holtkamp, sophomore

Hospitality House

An awesome group of students went on our monthly Hospitality House trip, serving food and helping around the Hospitality House. Before they left the high school, students learned about the different programs the Hospitality House has to offer including their emergency shelter, transitional and family housing, permanent housing, community kitchen, and food box programs. They also got to make "Can Creations" with the many cans they brought with them to donate.

Last Trips of the Semester - Cooking, Caving, and Hospitality House

Cooking

This rescheduled cooking trip took place in the Mountain Alliance classroom and involved some creative cooking! Students used blenders, toaster ovens, and more to create some unique dishes including vegan blondies, pizza, and falafel. Some of their recipes were more successful than others, but "James never gave up!" said sophomore Julia Moretz. "Even if things went wrong, he just kept trying!" When asked about her favorite recipes, Julia said, "I really liked the falafel, even though a lot of other people didn't like it. I thought it was good!"

Caving

Our second caving trip of the year and the second to last trip of the semester travelled to Bluff City, TN to explore Worley's Cave. Traveling through places like the Ballroom, Leroy's room, the Egg Room, the Fairy Ballroom, and more, this group of explorers took advantage of a ton of what the cave has to offer. When expert caver, junior Hattie Cox, was asked what her favorite part was, she said it was all of it! "Caving is fun," Hattie said. "We went out a different way than usual, out through the river." There was a part of the river that got deep before they reached the exit. "We went swimming!" joked Hattie.

Hospitality House

Finishing off with the classic Hospitality House trip, 6 students traveled just down the road to do some great service. Before leaving for the Hospitality House to serve in the kitchen, the group did an activity and held a discussion based on the issue of homelessness. "It was sad to know that it was the last trip," said Julia Moretz. "I thought the discussion we had before we went was really cool. It helped me think about what it would be like [to not have a home] and how difficult it would be. It made you appreciate everything you have." When asked about one of the more memorable things about the trip other than the discussion she said with a laugh, "No one wanted the applesauce we were serving! We kept asking and no one wanted it!"



Thanks for a fantastic semester and a special thank you to all of the students that helped make the blog happen. We appreciate all of your efforts and we'll see everyone in the spring for some more adventures!

Leadership Workshops, Zumba, Caving, and Cooking

Leadership Workshop 

by Isaac Maling

We had a great time; we played some cool games and had a few exciting activities. I learned about many of the traits of good leadership as well as about different types of personalities. The people who coordinated the event were college students from ASU and they did a great job. Probably the games we played were the most memorable; I had never played any of them before, so it was a good experience.

Zumba 

by Megan Gottfried

I was nervous to dance at first but after seeing Eric's creative dance moves I was more comfortable and was able to dance. The group danced and then hung out in the breaks. It was a great trip. I learned that zumba is super fun. The most memorable part of the trip was everyone's funny dance moves. I made new friends and had a great time.

Caving 

by Maria Goebeler

Before Caving

After Caving

I had a great time exploring and getting muddy. I learned about stalagmites and stalactites and about what the cave is made of. The most memorable thing from the trip was swimming in the river. I met some biology majors from ASU and I accomplished my goal of helping someone :D The trip was fantastic.

Thanksgiving Cooking

 

For the first time on our blog, we've added a video to tell you all about this trip! Watch the video above to see all of the delicious food we made on this Thanksgiving themed cooking trip.

LIFT Retreat 

by Lucy Edy

The LIFT retreat is one of my favorite trips each year, because we get to do a lot of really cool stuff, get out of town for a weekend, and basically have a giant slumber party. This year we got to go to Charlotte, where we did service, heard from some cool female leaders, talked a lot about feminism and what it is like to be a girl in high school, and even went to an art crawl! 

Everyone all dressed up for the Art Crawl

We learned a lot about poverty in Charlotte, including the fact that in 2012-2013, 4770 homeless children were enrolled in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. That alarming statistic is similar to those of many other towns, and we got to do service at a place called "The Free Store" that is trying to lower that statistic. They help provide people with anything they need to survive - clothes, dishes, furniture, and even sometimes rent money - in order to stop the homelessness epidemic. We learned a lot about feminism by watching a documentary called "Miss Representation." It was really interesting and inspiring. 

I think the most memorable thing from our trip was helping out at the free store. Getting to help people face to face, and see them smile with gratitude when you found them the right size coat was just amazing. There were whole families that were shopping in the free store. It was heartwarming to see little kids get really excited about a new shirt that they had just found or go running to their parents with something and not having to hear that they couldn't have that warm coat because it cost too much. 

 

We met a woman named Elizabeth Mckee, who runs a program similar to Mountain Alliance, but for adults. She helps people learn leadership skills that help them in life. She was a really cool person with a strong personality and we had a nice discussion with her. We also met a woman named Stacy who worked at the Free Store who was so excited to see us and who was really enthusiastic about her work. She taught us a lot about what the Free Store does and why it's important. I think her energy and excitement about having us there put a smile on everyone's face. I didn't really have any specific goals, but I did feel really accomplished after working at the free store.

LIFT Cooking, Humane Society, MA Extreme Challenge, and Hospitality House

LIFT Cooking

This all girls cooking trip focused on recipes that could be made without using a stove top or an oven. We made 6 different recipes! Those recipes include Golden Truffle Oreos, Cookies and Cream Popcorn, Belgian Waffles, 5-layer Mexican Dip, Copy Cat Frosty's, and Apple Caramel Snickers Salad. The girls rocked the recipes and enjoyed a smorgasbord of delicious treats! "I really liked making the 5-layer dip," said junior Hattie Cox. Even though she didn't end up eating it, she helped make sure that it looked beautiful before others dug in. "My favorite part was that we got to bond while we cooked!" said junior Megan Gottfried.

Humane Society

About a dozen students traveled to the Humane Society for some service and play time with puppies. "It was a fun trip," said senior Paul Wellborn. "We swept and moped the floor, cleaned and filled the bird feeder, put things in boxes, and picked up trash on the outside of the place. And played with a dog." After working hard, the group was rewarded by getting to play with some cute animals.

MA Extreme Challenge

The age old tale of the hound vs the hares. The chasers vs the runners. The first ever Mountain Alliance Extreme Challenge took place on a gorgeous day in downtown Boone and on ASU's campus. The hares (Jessie and Rachel) laid down a path full of tasks, challenges, and riddles that the hounds had to follow in order to catch them. The students and remainder of the staff chased down Jessie and Rachel with relentless determination and enthusiasm. They came close to catching the hares several times and kept them on their toes for the whole day! Congratulations to a unstoppable group of hounds!

Hospitality House

A group of 10 students and staff made their way over to the Hospitality House to serve in the kitchen and help out around the organization. The group had a lot of fun and did some great service. "My favorite part was getting to serve and see all of the different people at the Hospitality House," said sophomore Julia Moretz. Julia said she didn't really get to meet any of the people, but that staff member Eric Johnston got to sit down at a table with an older woman and talk to her/ get to know her over dinner.