Feet in Shoes

"You have brains in your head,

you have feet in your shoes,

you can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You're on your own,

and you know what you know,

You are the one who'll decide where to go."

-Dr. Seuss

These shoes right here...man. During the short time I've been here at Yellowstone, these shoes have been my go-to for absolutely everything. I've done everything from attend squad meetings to play basketball at 6am to hiking Mt. Sepulcher in this pair of Chucks (and my feet have not yet forgiven me for the latter).

But in thinking about the seemingly unbearable wear that these shoes have survived over the past few weeks, and in coming across the above quote, I realized just how powerful my experience has been. And it's not just about the shoes. It's bigger than my size 13 Converses. It's even bigger than me.

We, the Academy students and all those we influence to be involved in the parks, are a new breed of people, a new strain of leaders who have taken our first steps in various parks this summer.

The Academy (and those who coordinated it) gave us the information about the parks that birthed these interests that we are now pursuing. They gave us the "brains in our head," and by giving us the opportunity for summer internships, they gave us the proverbial shoes for our feet. And for that, I am extremely grateful.

And going through the summer, with all of the different first time experiences, all of the lessons learned, and all of the possibilities in the park we have been exposed to, we have been allowed to choose what direction we will take this even after our time in the parks has ended.

But it's the end of the quote that hit me the hardest. After we finish this wonderful summer, it's up to us to continue to run with the baton. We were accepted into an Academy where we learned about legacy, diversity, and how those ideas could be advanced. And in some ways, each of us is on our own when it comes to how we spread that message in our own circles.

But with the lessons we learned at the Academy, the experiences we've had in the various parks over the summer, we hold a piece of the parks' future in our collective hands! We truly are the ones who will decide where the park goes. And it's amazing to see opportunities for spreading the word about the park pop up and chances to start or be involved in similar programs (Gimie!).

So I just want to encourage everyone to keep up the good work, keep going! Your sphere of influence and your area of impact stretches farther than you know. The legacy you'll leave is already even now being formed. And you are the one who'll decide where it goes....