3rd Grade teacher looking for 2012 Thru-Hiker to pen-pal with my class

[Mr. Page]

I am a 3rd grade classroom teacher in NYC, looking for a 2012 thru-hiker that my students can learn from. Here are some ideas:
-Once a week (e.g. every Friday, every Wednesday) location updates via email, phone call, etc... that my students can plot on a wall map and keep in their math journals.
-Occasional paragraphs or descriptions that accompany a photo for students to follow up with on google earth and detailed state maps.
-We would send letters (and possible care packages!) to P.O.'s ahead of your location, so that you can read questions, hear about how helpful your communication is, and get a boost on those rainy days.
-I've done some 5 day AT trips and someday would love to thru-hike, so I'd also be living vicariously through you!
--Some requirements:
-Clean vocabulary in all communication: my students are 8 years old.
-Consistency: Whichever day we decide upon for an update, you have to come through the best you can. Maybe that means an update the day before or after for different reasons, but the children will be depending on consistency.
-Be yourself: This is not for someone looking to be famous, but for someone interested in helping out our math and geography curriculum in a really cool way.

Good luck on your 2012 thru-hike and let me know if you are interested!

-Aaron Page

[nickbreid]

Seems like a cool (and fun) idea, but wouldn't school let out shortly after the hiker begins and come back only shortly before he finishes?

[Mr. Page]

Good point. But our school year ends on June 10th, so we would have at least 3 months worth of data/communication to work with. I think they'd also love the idea of coming back in the first week of September to re-visit the updates and progress. What a great way to start off the new school year! It would also give the thru-hiker a 'break' for the summer!

[CornerCreek27]

PM Sent, I think your on right now though.

[TOMP]

Id be interested in participating, it sounds like a cool project. I wish I heard more about hiking as a kid, I only got into it a few years back. I was planning on starting my hike in mid-March. Would it be possible to switch email and phone with postcard and letters? I dont really want to have to check my email often. Thanks let me know.

[wornoutboots]

you can also research & reach out to hikers on trailjournals.com to connect with a few 2012's. You might even take the time to click on their "about" buttons & see if any are current or retired teachers.

[Mike2012]

Sounds like fun for someone.

[TOMP]

You could do multi-people so the kids will get more mail and more often instead of once a week.

[Captain Blue]

Mr Page - Spend some time picking your thur hiker candidate. There is a 50-50 chance any given thru hiker won't last three months on the trail despite their best intentions.

[TOMP]

also a good reason to pick multi people

[leaftye]

Your best bet is to select someone that has successfully hiked a long trail before. New hikers are often too inexperienced to know if they can consistently meet at the arranged times, and may not finish at all. The experienced hiker is much less likely to have those problems, and might be faster which should help retain the interest of your students.

[Feral Bill]

Perhaps you would like to get a strip map for your room to mark as your hiker(s) progress. Also perhaps some nature guides to refer to. You might even bring a hiker or two in to visit your class if they pass NYC on the trail before summer break.

[Meriadoc]

Aaron,

I am interested in your proposition, I would enjoy putting together updates for the third graders and answering their questions. I plan to keep my still nascent blog updated throughout my thru hike but I have not yet tackled the question of update frequency or how I am going to do that. As a previous poster suggested, I may be mailing handwritten notes. Once a week certainly seems doable but I can't commit until I know more about my route. That planning will occur in January.

Generally I keep my writing clean - although I won't guarantee that in my blog. Sometimes "colorful metaphors" are exactly that. I would guarantee clean writing in communications with the class.

Here's a link to sample of my writing:
meriadocthehalfling.blogspot.com

[MuddyWaters]

You may try contacting Balls and Sunshine. They are going for the triple crown. Sunshine will be the youngest triple crowner at 13 yo.


http://trailjournals.com/about.cfm?trailname=12870

[TOMP]

they have hiking sponsors...what? Let start wearing numbers and jerseys too.

[MuddyWaters]

their story on bpl, very well documented and interesting:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/father_daughter_pct.html
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sunshine_pct_update.html
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sunshine_sierra_mountains_pct.html

[Blissful]

My son and I did this for a second grade class. I sent them postcards when we crossed state lines, and they kept track of our progress on a big AT map. We came and talked to them several months into our hike when we got to VA. Let them look at our gear, showed them pictures, and they each picked trail names for themselves. The thank-you book they made for us is one of my most treasured items from '07.

[rocketsocks]

Mr page,I would be willing to donate a AT strip map,(approx 3 feet long by 9 inches maine to Georgia)to your class.I think I'ts fine project your doing and one the children will never forget I'm sure.Send a PM with adress if interested.

[quilteresq]

Care package, you say? I volunteer for 2013!

[rocketsocks]

Care package, you say? I volunteer for 2013!Ya now I'm certain we can set this guy up for whatever he'd like to do.

[tea2trey]

Aaron,
What a fun project you're taking on. I think your students will really enjoy it. I wish I had you as a teacher back in the day. I'm 46 yrs old and plan on thru-hiking northbound solo starting in early March and plan on finishing in early August. I will be keeping a detailed journal and taking many pictures. I have never hiked to this extreme before and I'm looking forward to the adventure. Let me know if I can help your project.

Trey (Train)
Cincinnati, Ohio

[singing wind]

Hello Aaron,

What an excellent idea for your students. Sent a pm and hope everything comes out in the best possible way for you and your class!

[drainwater]

I have a 3rd grader (my son) that will be hiking the trail starting March 13th.

[quilteresq]

Ya now I'm certain we can set this guy up for whatever he'd like to do.

Seriously - going in 2013 - I'll be journaling anyway. But I'm a female. A female/quilter/lawyer, hence quilteresq. Although I once heard Ricky Tims (a male quilter) called a rock star of the quilting world.

[rocketsocks]

The blanket on my lap ,keeping me warm,I crochet last year to help with PT of my hand after procedure.Came out pretty good I think.good luck on your 2013 hike.

[Blissful]

I have a 3rd grader (my son) that will be hiking the trail starting March 13th.

Wow, be interesting to follow this journey. Keeping a trail journal?

[drainwater]

Wow, be interesting to follow this journey. Keeping a trail journal?

We have a website at Rainwater2012.com (http://rainwater2012.com) and a Face book page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainh2os-2012-APPALACHIAN-TRAIL-THRU-HIKE. We will be journaling/posting on the facebook page because it is easier we think.

[drainwater]

We have a website at Rainwater2012.com (http://rainwater2012.com) and a Face book page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainh2os-2012-APPALACHIAN-TRAIL-THRU-HIKE. We will be journaling/posting on the facebook page because it is easier we think.
Whoops! The FB link above does not work. I'll try again : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainh2os-2012-APPALACHIAN-TRAIL-THRU-HIKE/#!/pages/Rainh2os-2012-APPALACHIAN-TRAIL-THRU-HIKE/180547586481

[RWheeler]

I don't know if you're still looking for more hikers to consider or not, but I'm leaving later than most hikers - April 25th to be exact. I'm currently subbing for a school system as well, and students' routines always made my days easier and more enjoyable. I'd do my best to stick to a particular day (at this point, I'd be prone to say Wednesday, that way I can give updates on Tuesday or Thursday depending on situations, without having to leave them hanging for a weekend).

Also, since NYC is (relatively) close for me, being in CT, I'd even be willing to pay a visit and give a recap or something (I'd say leading up to Thanksgiving break, so I'd have time to settle and internalize the trip) if the students were still curious that much later.

I'll be attempting to maintain a trail journal (it's started now, but nothing really noteworthy yet), but otherwise don't really intend to do much other form of communication. The online journal will be my "filtered" edition, and the hard copy that I'll write in will be the one with all of my colorful language. I can't guarantee the frequency of updates, however, I am currently looking into a way to automatically update a map with a marker whenever I text the name of a shelter, town, or something else, to another number. If I can get that working, then that would be a very reliable way to track me, and the journal updates can be fun bonuses or something!

If you're still looking for other people to participate, shoot me a PM and we can discuss it more. If not, then best of luck on this :D

[Lauriep]

Aaron,

Sounds like a very cool project for your students! If you haven't already contacted ATC, we can send you some free materials. Just email me at [email protected] and provide your postal mailing address.

Also be sure to check out our "Trail To Every Classroom" page at www.appalachiantrail.org/ttec. The page also has a link to a blog for teachers and educators to share information, resources and curricula in using the Appalachian Trail as a learning tool.

Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[Odd Man Out]

Seems to me that there are more volunteers than Mr. Page could use. I wonder if some organization could work on recruiting teachera and hikers and match them up. Would be a nice project.

[GAHiking]

My twelve year old son and I left on Feb 24, 2012. You can follow us on Facebook.com/StansberryATQuest. We would be happy to work with you.
Craig