I have been trying to get white water kayaking out the public for a while. It started with an interview from Ithaca Times about what I do. This was soon followed up by an interview request from Alex Ash, a student at Ithaca College. The Interview resulted in the article below.
I was really pleased to see how the article came out, and I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks to Alex Ash and Ithaca Dreams for a great write up.
http://www.ithacadreams.com/#!sports
Hey everyone it’s Drew McEachern again, today i am going to talk about the benefit that the New River Academy’s environmental science class put on.
During our time in Chile we did a lot of work on hydro electricity projects (dam) and we found it appalling what some of the company’s are doing. Chile does not own its own water rights witch means foreign company’s come into Chile and dam their rivers and the people of Chile lose there rivers and don’t get anything out of it. The envrionmental science class decided to make a short film on the proposed dam on the Maipo River, this quarter when we got back to the USA we put on a benefit at the Brew n View in Asheville to raise some money for the people trying to stop the project. During the Benefit we had 3 movies that we showed, we started with the short film we made when we were down in Chile, then Hunt showed the kayak video he had been working on to get the crowd fired up, and we finished off with a showing of Patagonia Rising. After all the movies, we had a raffle with a bunch of prizes from Skirts, PFDs, T shirts and a week long kayaking trip at wilderness tours on the Ottawa river over all it was a great benefit!
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
Related read… Meet your gap year instructor Tino Specht.
Related read… What ages can apply to Patagonia Gap Year.
Gappers build a first aid kit at their Pucon Chile base.
Last week I had a teleconference with a father after his daughter enamored by kayaking had persistently asked to apply to New River’s Patagonia Gap Year. Eventually he agreed to speak with me but had concerns that could mainly fall into two categories. He left our conversation feeling worse about sending his daughter. And I knew I had poorly articulated and needed to further address his points.
The father’s points are of such importance that I’m dedicating two blogs to the separate answers. I would like to thank him for the reminder, the opportunity to improve communication, and the topic of PGY’s next two e-news letters.
For Students- If you are considering applying to PGY then you should forward this email to your parents. Or get your parents on the enews list. They have questions and before they will consider allowing you to apply they need those questions answered.
For Parents- Consider reading the entire response. You may be surprised by the answer.
(Father’s name of potential applying PGY student),
I got away from your response as I departed for a trip. I’ve thought about and processed our conversation and will best provide answers to your concerns. From our conversation the points can be categorized into two areas:
A. Safety concerns
And, B. “How can taking a year off motivate (student name) to succeed in university and career?”
(Safety Response Coming Soon)
Second Issue: “How can taking a year off motivate (student’s name) to succeed in university?”
(Father’s name) you have excellent points. First I want to note the value of your parental and family educational influence and work ethic. Yes. Yes. Yes. These come into play more than you might realize at the moment. The family values are instilled but at this development stage the adolescent often has trouble accepting them based on some mental blocks.
Some College Stats
Here are a few statistics and ideas that may help. The average drop out rate for freshman nationwide is 40%. For some schools it’s even higher. The odds of finishing a degree are even smaller. The reasons so many freshman drop out are various but most involve being emotionally unprepared for college such as an inability to cope with the freedom of college – not going to classes, being distracted by parties and other social activities, loneliness. Also many freshman don’t have any idea what they want to do with their life and instead of using college to explore they get the mistaken idea that they have to decide on a major and see it through. When they realize they’re not interested in their chosen subject the other temptations on their time cause them to fail. This failure then convinces them that college is not for them and it takes years before they go back if they ever do.
Photo journalism students compose shots in Pichilemu, Chile. This is the cyber generation and media skills offer a competitive edge.
What the gap year does is take the pressure off the college decision. It allows kids to mature emotionally in a controlled environment while they pursue their own interests in this case kayaking. For example by allowing the kids to be part of the planning and executing of their own kayak trips they learn to manage their time, their finances and their energy, they learn to balance the fun of kayak trips with a sampling of academic studies such as Spanish and Photography/video. Instead of the pressure of having to make good grades in 15 plus hours of college courses, many of which they are not even interested in, the gap year allows an exploration of how best to balance their personal interests with academic demands.
Traveling in a foreign country broadens perspectives and the experience of traveling, meeting new people, making new friends while doing what they love (kayaking) gives students the social skills they will need to form the strong friendships in college that have proven to be one of the best predictors of success in college. College for freshman is a foreign culture but not as foreign as traveling in a different country with a different language. The gap year abroad teaches students how to successfully navigate a foreign culture so when they go back to the U.S. College seems tame and easily manageable.
Is the grass greener on the other side? Gap year students watch and rescue goats being herded to the highland grasses of the Achibueno Valley.
The grass always looks greener on the other side. This is especially true for kayakers. The romance of traveling abroad to kayak, running spectacular rivers, pursuing ones own interests sounds like paradise after the restrictive routines of High School but the reality of traveling abroad and kayaking are harsh and challenging. Lots of things go wrong. Vehicles break down. Rivers are too high or too low to run. A beautiful day turns cold and rainy. Ones fellow kayakers have their own personality quirks that grate on ones nerves. Even trying to find a bathroom can become a major challenge. Despite it being everything the kayakers dreamed of there’s always the moment when loneliness and homesickness strike and home seems like the most wonderful place in the world. After a year of traveling abroad the fantasy of the kayak paradise is replaced by the realization that we make our own happiness from struggles and disappointments, successes and failures, incredible highs and moments of loneliness that make up life no matter where we are.
Our education system has it backwards. We force young people into college, force them to choose a course of study and work incredibly hard, make sacrifices all in the pursuit of a fantasy tomorrow. College becomes simply a means to an end and if a student isn’t already committed to that end it’s almost impossible to see the point of so much work. The gap year by allowing college students to first pursue their most passionate interest, their fantasy life, gives them the time, space and experiences to understand how much work and sacrifice it takes to make ones own goals and aspirations a reality. The prospect of college takes on an entirely different flavor. Instead of a continuation of the prison that was high school, college becomes the freely chosen means of creating and pursuing a meaningful life.
I’ve personally watched the transformation of students not interested in College time after time. Parents later write me excitedly announcing their child is enrolling on their own to a university or the student requests a letter of recommendation. It takes time. It takes a team effort. I am confident in the product we are offering you. The final stages of adolescent development are more vital than most realize.
Feel free to write your concerns.
David Hughes
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
Related read… Meet your gap year instructor Tino Specht.
Related read… What ages can apply to Patagonia Gap Year.
Coach Craig Kleckner boofing down the Watauga.
Almost every kayaker on the east coast has at least heard of the Green River Narrows, well this past week the New River Academy was fortunate enough to spend nearly a week in Hendersonville, NC which allowed us easy access to the Green River Narrows as the dam allowed. The water was off at the start of the weekend forcing us to find other options. Our first day we decided to drive to the Watauga Creek for a warm up run before running the Green Narrows.
After our travel to the river, we ended up at the Watauga ready to run a Southeast classic. This run consists of some good boulder garden rapids along with a few fun boofs. The most dramatic drop of the run was a rapid called State Line. This was a great creek to practice our scouting and setting safety techniques that we learn off river. This run proved to be a great gauge as to what students would be able to safely navigate the Green River Narrows.
Our next day on the water was a trip to the Tuckasegee River to play in one of the Southeast’s best play holes, Eternity Hole. The story I heard is that a few college students came together, moved a few rocks around, and created a great play spot. This spot gives up some big air loops along with all of the other tricks. After a solid day of play the students participated in hosting a film festival called Patagonia Rising, this was to raise money for the anti-dam efforts on the Maipo River.
Team scouting Gorilla
The following day the Green was running, so we packed up the van and took a small group down concentrating on our lines and safety for the up coming days. The day went very smooth with minimal issues and then we had a good idea what other students we could safely take down the next day. Our next day nearly all of the students were able to safely paddle down and have one of the best days on the Green. We were even able to let three students run Gorilla, we set proper safety at the top and bottom and those that ran it were in the safest possible scenario. At the end of the day, the students came away with a new appreciation for Southeast creeking.
Hunt Jennings getting it done on the Green.
Taking a group of students down a run like the Green can be stressful without proper planning by the coaches and without special guests that know the run really well. Special thanks to the paddlers that helped with some good river beta, Mike Patterson, Dane Jackson, Trent, and even one of out students Hunt Jennings. This was a true test of planning, preparation, and safety and I must say that with everyone’s help we were able to make it happen very smoothly.
After spending a few days at our base in Fayetteville, West Virginia, we were on the road again to Northern West Virginia. Three hours north from our base in Fayetteville is the Tygart River. For ten days we are based five minutes from the Tygart in the Frost Run Retreat. It is a beautiful log cabin with a huge kitchen and living space. It also has a wrap around porch that is pretty big, which makes a great place to have classes. The cabin is located on top of a hill with 40 acres of land so it is a nice secluded place for us to relax. It is also close to some rivers other than the Tygart. It is close to a few creek runs and the Cheat River.
The Tygart is a fun class 3-4 river that is usually run in playboats because there is so much good play on it. Usually the play consists of a few holes and catch-on-the-fly waves, but to our surprise we found an amazing wave with eddy access right down the road from our cabin. It is a really fast, green wave that you can throw almost any trick on. We were so lucky to come across this wave.
The other river that we have paddled since we have been here is the Cheat River. We went to Cheat Fest for the first day, which was the down-river race. Hundreds of people showed up to do this race, which started after 5. Conveniently planned so that locals could still participate in the race after work. The mass start with so many people was crazy and amazing to be a part of. Everyone there was so enthusiastic about paddling this river. Some were there to win and some were there just to get out with a group of friends and paddle the river. I was there to paddle a new river for the first time and have a great time doing it. I did exactly that. I had a great time learning the rapids on the Cheat and meeting local paddlers and fellow racers.
Coach Craig Kleckner throwing a huge air blunt on the wave we found on the Tygart.
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
Read… What ages can apply to Patagonia Gap Year.
If you could hire the perfect leader for an adventure program what would you ask in the interview process? How would you filter that leader’s skills from other applicants who naturally show their best during an interview?
Tino Specht and his million dollar smile.
The answer to the above questions is a bit deceiving. You see Tino Specht was both a student and an intern at New River Academy. He’s been prepped, conditioned, and polished into the perfect role model/leader/teacher/coach all rolled into one guy. That’s kind of a joke… Tino is a natural leader. But yes his program experience throughout Chile makes him even more of an ideal instructor. Plus he has four years teaching experience. Tino’s ever present passion for mastering video media combined with an emphasis on how to express compelling stories made him a naturally gifted instructor.
As a media production company owner Tino turns down more media work than he accepts. How did he rise to the top in such a competitive field? Tino mastered the school’s philosophy of networking and began volunteering video media work for programs like Zoar, Ottawa Kayak School, and New River Academy. Soon enough those programs were paying Tino for video projects and even going out of their way to help him secure coveted jobs with other companies via their endorsement network. Volunteer and quality work distinguished Tino from other bidding media production companies. In effect his giving of product created a network that few young minds realize the benefits.
How will you script your story? What music, images, interviews and words will convey your message?
Click for Tino Specht Vimeo Page
Have you ever heard a remarkable storyteller? You sit on the edge of your seat listening to what happens next. The plot goes up and down as you get excited and later relieved. Story telling is an art and storytellers have one thing in common. They understand how to evoke emotions and to get the listener, reader, or viewer to become involved. Progressively, Tino’s stories played out through images and scripted dialogue become more powerful. Tino has earned the reputation for quality video media work and the job offers keep coming.
Coach Tino Specht at the top of the "Cali-slide" on Pucon's Rio Nevado.
“Tino if I had it to do over again I’d be a doctor. You see doctors are one of the few professions where you can take your skill with you anywhere and make a great living. I’m tied to my properties…” –Joe Kowalski, Owner Wilderness Tours and Ottawa Kayak School
Intelligent company owners want someone who can convey their story in a way that makes people want to experience their product. Tino took Joe Kowalski’s above quote to heart, he learnt and works toward mastering media production as his life craft. Now, Tino passionately shares his knowledge with gap year students.
Professional video production is not easy. Beginners will randomly shoot shots and slap music to it, that’s the easiest level. The professional will meet with their client uncovering a story to convey, an intriguing way to present a product asking what words and interviews should apply. As a professional you build this story via your images and the creative art project is often less than one minute.
You are the cyber generation. Video and photo media journalism are skills that will give you a career advantage.
It’s hard to write about Tino and not mention his influence on safety. Beginning with the first day Tino teaches safety first in effect setting the semester standard. Tino has rules like, “Show up to a rapid without your rope and you do 25 pushups.” Or “No shoes. No paddling.” The gap year student age is an age where students are in prime athletic and learning form. Meaning they can learn skills faster than their experience level. This is where an experienced safety instructor helps you understand decision-making and how to protect yourself.
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
Read… What ages can apply to Patagonia Gap Year.
The mark of a kayaker, more than the beat up hands or a twice broken nose, or even a vocabulary diminished to the adjectives of “brown” and “stout”, would have to be the shoulders. The broad, muscular, possibly even overdeveloped, yet with a history of subluxation or dislocation, shoulders.
You know what I am talking about, the shoulders that make it annoying to squeeze three or four in the back seat on a shuttle run, because there is no room for your shoulders, despite the fact that you could fit one more person into the hip space. Kayakers rely on their shoulders. They help drive and power our paddling, allow us flexibility in our rolls, and give us something to rest our boats on when we carry them to and from the river.
Besides the physical strain on your shoulders during a day paddling, there are the long hours sitting in a car to get to and from the river, as well as the stress from our daily lives.
It is only logical that our shoulders bear the brunt of our stress, and can often be stiff and sore coming off the water. I have seen many a kayaker or raft guide melt when a fellow paddler comes up and places their hands on that magic spot on your back, right next to your shoulder blades. You know the one I’m talking about. And yes, I wish there was someone there right now too.
Below is one of my favorite shoulder stretches- It is an easy stretch that even beginners to yoga to do. It doesn’t require crazy flexibility, and will help to relieve some of the knots and tension in your neck and shoulders.
Inhale, and allow your left hand to reach up towards the sky. Allow for a few breaths here. Extend your stretch with each inhale.
Allow yourself to rest here, with your shoulder and ear on the mat, before lifting your right hand to the sky.
Come into a bind by placing your right hand on your left hip. Gaze looks up to the sky.
Bind from the reverse angle.
Start on all fours, in a table top position. Your hands should be under your shoulders, with your knees under your hips.
Inhale, allow your left hand to lift up off the mat, and rotate up toward the sky, opening your chest to the left. Your gaze follows your hand, looking up towards your fingers.
Exhale, allow your left hand to cross under your body, feeding through the gap between your right arm and right knee. This will bring your left shoulder, arm and ear to rest on the mat.
Inhale, allow your right arm to lift up off the mat, reaching toward the sky. Take a few deep breaths while holding this position. With each exhale, allow your body to relax, and feel the ground support your shoulder.
For a deeper stretch, you may take your right hand, and bring it to your left hip, coming into a bind.
To release the stretch, place your right hand back on the mat. Lift your left arm and shoulder off the mat, and once more, stretch your left hand up to the sky, opening your chest to the left.
Place your left hand back on the mat, returning to tabletop position, and repeat on the opposite side.
Enjoy!
The Green is probably one of the hardest runs we do with the school. It is a class 4+ creek filled with rocks, tight channels, and fun drops. It is a technical run made up of boulder gardens and fun slides. There are three bigger rapids on the run with one must-portage. Everyone ran the first big rapid called Zwicks. Some ran the second one, which is called Gorilla, where I took some photos. The third one, Sunshine, most of us walked expect for the people who have done the run many times such as Hunt Jennings, who was our guide for most of the run and some of the teachers.
The Green is one of Hunt’s home rivers in the heart of North Carolina so he is an expert on all the lines. The first day that the school ran it, he took only a small group to teach them all the lines and the rest of us hiked in to the river to see part of it. This part happened to be right near Gorilla and a fun slide rapid. It was really good to be able to see a few of the rapids and get a feel for the style of the river before being thrown on it. It was definitely different than anything I have run before. The biggest difference between this river and rivers that I’ve paddled before was that there were rocks everywhere!
Not everyone was allowed to run the Gorilla rapid because it is a big drop that potentially lands on rock. It also has a difficult entrance that could possibly flip you above the drop. Which could be really bad. Therefore, I decided not to run this rapid my first time on this river. Instead I took photos for everyone who did run it. After hiking in and seeing how picturesque the drop was I was sure not to forget my camera for this run. Many of the boys walked up multiple times for this photo shoot and just to get the thrill of running the rapid again or to improve their line. Here are some of the photos that I shot at the Gorilla rapid.
Some of the group scouting Gorilla.
Mike Patterson styling the drop; showing the students how it's done.
Kira is ready to rescue any swimmers or boats at the bottom of Gorilla.
Last weekend we attended a freestyle competition at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina. It turned out to be a great event with many different competitions and demonstrations other than just the main attraction: the freestyle competition. Among the other events were a stand-up paddle board race and an attainment race. There was also a great speech by Chris Gragtmans, a true ambassador of the sport of kayaking. This speech was targeted mostly to competitors and people that are just being introduced to the sport of whitewater kayaking. It was perfect for getting everyone pumped up to compete the following day, especially the junior women.
The competition flowed smoothly both days for the junior women’s class. There were only four girls competing so therefore there was only one heat. Three out of the four girls competing in junior women’s were our very own girls. The fourth girl, who placed first, is planning to attend New River Academy next year. It is needless to say that we were all really supportive of each other. Instead of just having our first round as finals on Saturday, we got to compete Sunday as well for a finals round. This was lucky for us because the first day was almost a practice round and we got to work on our rides to preform them again on Sunday.
The competition was not too serious for the NRA girls. We had the best time that we could possibly have. We made a playlist for the DJ to play during our rides. Everyone including our teachers were dancing and laughing at our awesome playlist. While dancing and laughing we still all made a point to cheer really loudly for each other while we were doing our rides. It was not all fun and games. All of the girls got down to business and threw down tricks that maybe we didn’t even know we had. Alex Muck threw her first loop ever in the second day of competition. Hayley Stuart threw a lot of nice cartwheel ends and her recently learned entry move. I threw some loops and spins and tried my first space godzilla. I was extremely excited about trying one even if it didn’t score. Rowan Stuart won with her huge loops and space godzillas. Congrats to everyone who competed! I had a great time and I can’t wait to compete with these girls again.
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
Tamara Semehen and Clay Whitaker take a creative writing course during the Patagonia Gap Year spring semester.
The answer falls into one of three categories.
The real world can be challenging. Will you be ready to meet financial demands knowing how to hold a budget. What communication skills have you learnt? Are you responsible enough to work independently? And do you realize the life advantages of learning social media skills with our video and photo journalism courses.
Gappers staged a video and photo media shoot at the Rio Nevado slide. Now that's a cool class experience.
Step 1- Download and submit the Phase I Application.
Step 2- If you receive an acceptance letter then Congratulations! You’re on your way to a great experience.
Step 3- Download and submit the Phase II Application with deposit to officially enroll.
Dates: October 18 to December 20, for more info email NewRiverGap@gmail.com.
New River Academy
Rt. 2 Box 245
Fayetteville, WV 25484
(304)- 574-0403
Fax: (304) 513-2247
New River
Academy
