Will Homepage

In the fall of 2008, a new group of young men and women were selected to become Wilderness Leadership & Learning (WILL) members. These teens learned life lessons about accomplishment though setting and achieving goals and being accountable on all levels. By working together through the year, friendships and trust were created and built upon. Below is the pictorial story of the 2008-2009 WILL alumnae!
- Steve Abraham, WILL founder

1. Parents Orientation – On October 25, 2008, before the beginning of the WILL Year full of new experiences, new friends and opportunities, WILL held two orientation sessions for parents and new WILL members. See "Parents" page for details (click here).

2. Challenge/Ropes Course - On two wonderful fall Saturdays, November 1 and November 8, 2008, WILL kicked off its 2008-2009 year with a challenge/ropes course. The day featured various challenges that help to form a cohesive WILL unit built on trust and teamwork. We began with ice breakers and other getting-acquainted activities and then moved to "low ropes" challenges designed to build trust and to foster teamwork and communication among newly acquainted WILL members. The afternoon's "high ropes" challenge reinforced the morning’s lessons and called for WILL members to reach beyond their comfort zones for new horizons.

3. On Board The Susquehanna to Learn Our Role in the Health of the Bay - On the two Saturdays before Thanksgiving (November 15 & 22, 2008), WILL members boarded the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF's) boat, The Susquehanna, to learn about the importance of the Bay to the region, the integral role that the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers play in keeping the Bay healthy, and how our lives on land impact these vital waterways. WILL members teamed up to perform different water quality tests and then described their results to the group. We also pulled fish from the rivers with a net to learn how to identify and properly handle them, —an exciting new experience for most WILL members. The Susquehanna is a workboat originally designed for crabbing and dredging oysters on the Chesapeake. It was a great way to spend a fall day—and educational, too.

4. WILL's Holiday Party - Each December, WILL members and their families gather together to celebrate the holiday season with a festive party. Members arrived early and decorated the party room in true holiday style. The families then joined for a tasty meal and festivities which included a special, personal gift for each WILL member to commemorate the first part of his/her year-long WILL adventure. On December 13, 2008, 75 WILL members and their families celebrated this special day together.

6. Martin Luther King Day - We discussed Dr. King, civil rights, and the concepts of diversity and consideration and respect for everyone. We then watched the nationally recognized movie Freedom Writers. The film tells the true story about a young teacher in a diverse urban high school who inspires her at-risk students to accomplish their goals and how diversity and tolerance enlarge all our lives. We had the extraordinary good fortune to have Tony Silard, a well known and respected author and lecturer on leadership and life skill development, spend the afternoon with us leading a leadership session.

7. Nutrition/Wellness and South American Music - On February 7, 2009, we had the first of our two wellness/nutrition and music enrichment days, which are invaluable elements of our program. The first half of the day, Monica Silvestro, a renowned Certified Holistic Health Counselor (Monica’s website address is www.yourintuitivehealth.com), engaged WILL participants in a lively discussion about healthy eating choices, portion size, reading packages for nutritional content, the benefits of organic over processed foods, and ended by teaching us how to make a terrific organic burrito and lunch. In the afternoon, we once again had the good fortune to learn about the roots of South American music and to experience the music of Cuba and other Latin American cultures from Steve, Kike, and Miguel, a/k/a Sweet Saludos. This trio is renowned in the DC area and countries around the globe and has graced the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. WILL members had hands-on experience playing the instruments along with our musical ambassadors. It was a wonderful day of interactive learning and cultural exchange.

8. A Day at the Lanes - On February 16, 2009, Presidents Day, WILL members took advantage of a scheduled day off from school by bowling at DC's Lucky Strike bowling lanes. The day promoted group cohesiveness and, for many, was an invigorating new activity.

9. Nutrition/Wellness and Persian Music - March 22 was the second day focused on learning about nutrition as Monica again led us in an invigorating discussion of healthy eating decisions. We watched and discussed selected portions of the acclaimed movie Super Size Me. In the afternoon, we explored the music and culture of the country once known as Persia (now Iran). We were joined and entertained by SAMA, a well known Persian musical group. WILL members experienced, for the first time, the wonderful and time-honored music from this historic culture. We all enthusiastically learned to play the Daf and Tombak. It truly was an amazing day!

10. Spring Break on the Bay - During spring break, we spent three days and two nights with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) at the Karen Noonan Center, one of the CBF’s four Environmental Education Centers on the Bay. The Karen Noonan Center is a former hunting lodge which has been converted to an educational facility for the CBF. During our stay at the Noonan Center, WILL members continued to build on their environmental/ecological education and understanding of the Bay and its watershed, begun in the fall. We learned more about sediment and nutrients, global warming and erosion and their impact on the Bay, the benefits of filtration provided by trees and grasses, and why the marsh is so important on many levels. We continued to build the group into a cohesive team. We explored and removed debris from barrier islands, dredged on an oyster bar, set crab pots, made s'mores and told stories around a roaring campfire, canoed, went on a night hike, stargazed (an incredible first time experience for many away from the city lights), did leadership initiatives and played fun games like predator and prey in the marsh, and generally expanded our growing knowledge and appreciation of the Bay's importance to our region and of our role in the Bay's future. The trip to the KNC provided a wonderful opportunity for WILL members to be out of the city and to have many new experiences, including seeing magnificent sunsets and sunrises, ospreys, and bald eagles.

"The bay symbolizes my past and future because when I was in the marsh and my foot got stuck in the mud, it made me realize how I got stuck in my life. And the water is my future because I know I can go anywhere and everywhere I want to go in life." —Mira

11. On DC Emancipation Day, April 16, the recognition and celebration of the day President Lincoln signed a bill freeing slaves in DC, approximately 8 ½ months before he signed the Emancipation Proclamation, we had an incredible morning guided tour of minority artists' works on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In the afternoon, we traveled to the Supreme Court for a special tour (arranged by Jim Vines, WILL Board Chair, who was a law clerk to Chief Justice Rehnquist) of that impressive and historic building. Although the Court was not in session, WILL members sat in the front row of the Court Chambers and in the conference rooms where the Justices discuss and decide cases before them.

12. College Admissions Forum - On April 25, representatives from American University, Towson, Trinity University (DC), and Washington and Lee introduced WILL members and their families to the "mysteries" of the college admissions process and what colleges look for in prospective students. At this annual forum, WILL members are able to introduce themselves to the college representatives, who are always eager to get acquainted with exceptional young men and women early in the student identification process. The forum also provided a good discussion about the financing of college tuition, led by an experienced person from the student loan industry.

13. Service Project on the banks of the Anacostia - On May 16, WILL members participated in a full-day service project working with the Anacostia Watershed Society at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens on the Anacostia River. We learned to identify native and invasive plants in the area and then we removed invasive plants so that native plant species could again thrive along the banks of the Anacostia River. This project exemplifies the relationship WILL endeavors to establish with the City: to play a regular role in the upkeep and survival of such a vital resource of our Nation's capital. WILL believes it is essential for its members, as leaders, to understand and appreciate the importance of giving back to one's community.

14. Scavenger Hunt on the National Mall - On June 13, WILL members had an exhilarating and educational day learning about our Nation's history, depicted in many monuments and memorials, and finding hidden gems in the rich museums along the Mall. The day started with a leadership exercise—a week in advance of the event, WILL members were divided into teams and had to develop plans to arrive at the Mall together and find Steve at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Once there, each team received a distinct list of historic items and works of art to locate—like the fascinating sculptures in the Sculpture Garden at the National Art Gallery—and questions to answer including: how many columns surround the Lincoln Memorial and what they represent (do you know?); on what date was the first American was killed in the Vietnam War; what do the stars on the Wall of Freedom at the WW II Memorial represent; what is the name of the boat in Winslow Homer's Breezing Up; what is the weight of the Hope Diamond; and how many lions are in Reubens' Daniel in the Lions' Den? The invigorating day concluded with a de-briefing and congratulatory lunch for job well done.

"We do the scavenger hunt to learn something new about American history,
art, and to use our brains." —Kenisha

15. WILL Expedition – The long-anticipated 7-day Expedition on the Appalachian Trail arrived during the summer. To minimize our impact on the wilderness, we split the group in half; the first half experienced the challenges of the Expedition in June and the rest of us went in August. In conjunction with the Baltimore-Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Center, WILL members explored the furthest reaches of our physical, mental, and spiritual boundaries as we backpacked along the Maryland and Pennsylvania sections of the famous Appalachian Trail. We pushed beyond our perceived limits to develop greater confidence in ourselves and greater trust in each other. We also learned to appreciate even more the benefits of working as a team. Most importantly, we learned that, with commitment, we can reach the goals we set for our lives. We also learned how to properly pack our packs, as we carried all our gear and provisions on our backs, we purified our water, cooked our food, went rock climbing, and participated in other fun and informative initiatives, including the famed Outward Bound Solo. We learned how to read a map, use a compass, set up a campsite, and apply "leave no trace" ethics and techniques so that wildlife and future visitors can also enjoy the unaltered great outdoors.

"There were a couple of times where I just wanted to give up, but one thing I learned in WILL is never say 'I can’t' and 'don't give up'. I definitely wouldn’t even have a shot at my goals if every time it got hard I quit." —Tessa

"One way that you can save and protect the environment is never leave a trace.”" —Jose

"Working as a team changed how I look at myself. You can’t always do things by yourself, you sometimes might need a hand from somebody." —Domonique

"Steve has taught me many things about life and the wilderness, and about leadership. He and the WILL program have taught me how to look at things from a different point of view and in a way which is about life." —Jose

16. Graduation - On September 12, WILL members who successfully completed the year and their families gathered at the National Postal Museum to celebrate their accomplishments, their year of new experiences and experiential learning, and to honor their commitment to themselves, each other, and to WILL. WILL graduation is both a joyous and reflective time for everyone. The day was made all the more meaningful as the luncheon portion of the celebration was in the offices of the first U.S. Postmaster.

"Anything you wanna do, you can, but you have to want it and go for it." —Mohammed

As noted, each WILL year is a little different. Along with the activities and adventures described above, past events have included behind the scenes tours of the Kennedy Center, a tour of the US Capitol, a visit to the 3rd District Metropolitan Police Station (with a ride in a police motorcycle sidecar!), a tour of the Pentagon, a visit to the Discovery Channel, and a DC United soccer match.

To view the 2009 - 2010 WILL Retrospective, please click here.

To return to Programs, please click here.

Will Restrospective - A pictorial history

2008– 2009