My experience on the prairie trip was fun, exciting and amazing. I had a good time and made a lot of good friends. I was a leader in a cabin with the younger teens. My name is Lester and I’m a 17-year-old intern at Story Stitchers through STL Youth Jobs this summer.
I liked the food because it was healthy, and there was a lot of it, and it kept our energy up for long hikes. I learned about carbon dioxide and how the plants form it every winter and every year and how rocks turn into dirt over time. I learned there is a plant called “rattlesnake.” I learned that there is more than one kind of sunflower seed. Some are even a pinkish color. Some insects lay their eggs inside the flowers. We opened one up and could see the eggs.
We took a night hike. It was raining and the rain felt cold and so good on my skin. Our group was quiet and we saw a big toad frog. But then we saw a giant spider on a web and some of the teens got scared and we went back to the lodge.
I would say I would do it again and I want to bring more people and learn about more animals.
Sincere Thanks to the 2017 sponsors:
Missouri Botanical Garden Shaw Nature Reserve
Missouri Prairie Foundation
Walmart Community Grant
Winslow’s Home and Farm
Panera Cares
Piccone Pastry
Susan and Carmon Colangelo
Mary Jo Wilmes
Susan Sauer
