I go to a small school in rural West Michigan and I never meet anyone with similar interests to mine, so it was nice for me to hang out with kids who do share the same interests. On our way to Portal, Arizona, we stopped at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. The beautiful white gypsum sand was like nothing I had ever seen before; it looked like snow and it stretched for miles in every direction. Many of the animals in White Sands had adapted to become white in order to blend in with their surroundings, so it was the perfect place to learn about adaptions. The biology camp was a valuable experience for me because I have been trying to decide whether to get a major in biology or geology in college, so the biology camp was important because I was able to see an actual biologist working in the field. I intend to study paleontology in graduate school, but this camp made me think I might like to study live animals, too.

“Paleontology has always been my dream in life. When I found out that as a freshman in high school, I got the chance to go on a real life dig for fossils, I was at a loss for words. Each summer I participated in the program, I got to experience something adventurous. Whether it be digging in the heat, comparing the skeletal anatomies of modern-day organisms, or digging the van out of the mud, I had a great time. Moreover, I made lifetime friends that enjoy paleontology just as much as me. These camps have been the main foundation for building me into the person I am today. “