Student testimonials
"ESA gave me the opportunity to go and do something that I have never done before. I went camping in a tent, I got to go surfing, and I went long distance hiking. I learned that banana slugs are real and I saw so many new things. It taught me to appreciate the surrounding nature and to also respect it."
-K. Goodman, El Capitan High School
"[ESA] impacted my by giving me the chance to make new friends. It also impacted my life by all the amazing view points of how I saw Yosemite. Lastly, all the staff that went were awesome . They all cared for all of us and will always be there for us."
-L. Gutierrez, Atwater High School
"ESA has been a learning experience, the exciting wilderness not only taught me how to live without electronics but to enjoy a piece of the beautiful world we sometimes don't get to experience."
-S. Cortes, Livingston High School
"ESA helped me connect with nature and enjoy its simplicities. I thought being away from technology would be harder than it really was, but, because one is surrounded by such beauty, a sense of tranquility ignites a connection between you and something greater than yourself. This camping trip helped me understand why people believe in God, me being an atheist and all."
-A. Sandoval, Golden Valley High School
"ESA has given me skills and the ability to do something I thought myself incapable of doing. It showed me that by mentally and physically challenging yourself, you can overcome what you may have previously thought as impossible. I truly enjoyed the experience and hope to take part in this program in the year to come."
-J. Amezquita, Golden Valley High School
"ESA impacted my life in some sort of ways. First of all, I made many great friends. I got along with half of them, which was great! I enjoyed the long hikes and just experiencing the great outdoors of nature. It was such a fun and enjoyable week, just to get out of home and experience the outdoors with friends. We became one big family in only a week. Something I will never forget!"
-E. Moreno, Golden Valley High School
"ESA allowed for me to be able to go out into the world, in which I barely get to. It made me love nature even more, and it has given me more experience out in the forest and the mountains. Even my knowledge has broadened about things I never knew about until I joined ESA, especially the summer program. It also allowed me to use my full length of energy and excitement in which I rarely am able to do for the lack of anything interesting. ESA impacted my life, fully, in that the wild backcountry felt almost like at home just like my own home in the city."
D. Lee, Golden Valley High School
"ESA not only impacted my life with this summer trip but it also helped me get in touch with nature through the smaller year-round trips where we have the chance to see amazing scenery. ESA has also encouraged me to get involved with keeping our national parks open and I've even thought about signing up as a path maker during the summer once I'm old enough. If it wasn't for ESA i would never have found this love for the outdoors that I feel everyone should experience in order to appreciate Earth a little better."
-M. Flores, Livingston High School
-K. Goodman, El Capitan High School
"[ESA] impacted my by giving me the chance to make new friends. It also impacted my life by all the amazing view points of how I saw Yosemite. Lastly, all the staff that went were awesome . They all cared for all of us and will always be there for us."
-L. Gutierrez, Atwater High School
"ESA has been a learning experience, the exciting wilderness not only taught me how to live without electronics but to enjoy a piece of the beautiful world we sometimes don't get to experience."
-S. Cortes, Livingston High School
"ESA helped me connect with nature and enjoy its simplicities. I thought being away from technology would be harder than it really was, but, because one is surrounded by such beauty, a sense of tranquility ignites a connection between you and something greater than yourself. This camping trip helped me understand why people believe in God, me being an atheist and all."
-A. Sandoval, Golden Valley High School
"ESA has given me skills and the ability to do something I thought myself incapable of doing. It showed me that by mentally and physically challenging yourself, you can overcome what you may have previously thought as impossible. I truly enjoyed the experience and hope to take part in this program in the year to come."
-J. Amezquita, Golden Valley High School
"ESA impacted my life in some sort of ways. First of all, I made many great friends. I got along with half of them, which was great! I enjoyed the long hikes and just experiencing the great outdoors of nature. It was such a fun and enjoyable week, just to get out of home and experience the outdoors with friends. We became one big family in only a week. Something I will never forget!"
-E. Moreno, Golden Valley High School
"ESA allowed for me to be able to go out into the world, in which I barely get to. It made me love nature even more, and it has given me more experience out in the forest and the mountains. Even my knowledge has broadened about things I never knew about until I joined ESA, especially the summer program. It also allowed me to use my full length of energy and excitement in which I rarely am able to do for the lack of anything interesting. ESA impacted my life, fully, in that the wild backcountry felt almost like at home just like my own home in the city."
D. Lee, Golden Valley High School
"ESA not only impacted my life with this summer trip but it also helped me get in touch with nature through the smaller year-round trips where we have the chance to see amazing scenery. ESA has also encouraged me to get involved with keeping our national parks open and I've even thought about signing up as a path maker during the summer once I'm old enough. If it wasn't for ESA i would never have found this love for the outdoors that I feel everyone should experience in order to appreciate Earth a little better."
-M. Flores, Livingston High School