Georgetown Ambassadors Team Up with “Hoyas for Immigrant Rights” for a Rejuvenating Hike
On April 12th, eight Georgetown students set out for Great Falls to hike the Billy Goat Trail early Sunday morning. I was especially excited about the trip because it was a collaborative hike between the National Park College Ambassador Program and Hoyas For Immigrant Rights (HFIR). When my co-guide, Shea, and I were planning our collaborative outing for the National Park Trust, we knew we wanted to introduce a group of students who didn’t usually spend a lot of time outdoors to a new hike, but we also wanted to collaborate with people who would really benefit from the rest and reset that being outside provides. HFIR was the perfect group to collaborate with on both these fronts. Shea and I were also pumped for the trip because we got to take two new outdoor guides with us to train them on how to run trips.
The trail started out easy. We hiked along a gravel path through the trees, spotting great blue herons, ducks, and cormorants on the Potomac below us. We even saw some pawpaw trees blooming. Most of our participants knew each other, and we chatted and laughed all the way to Great Falls. We stopped there for a snack and discussed how everyone is connected to the outdoors and how the natural world affects our lives and livelihoods, regardless of our citizenship status. Since Great Falls itself played a big role in determining the location of the city of DC, it was an especially interesting place to have our conversation. Everyone had valuable thoughts to share, and we ended by discussing how the hike might rejuvenate us so we could continue to serve others.
Shortly after our break, the rock scrambles started. Shea and I talked the participants through the tough sections, leading carefully and asking the new guides to help people figure out where to place their feet. The scramble was tough, but we were quickly rewarded by beautiful views and a gorgeous beach. When we finally got back to the vans, we were tired, but ready to take on another week.
