Two Flagstaff Grads Receive $500 Friends of Camp Colton Scholarships
Camp Colton alums Ariel Aslan and Richard Montoya turn memories into funds for higher education.
As Flagstaff high school seniors bask in their post-graduation glory, two have something extra to celebrate. Friends of Camp Colton selected Ariel Aslan and Richard Montoya as the 2nd annual recipients of its $500 scholarships for Camp Colton alumni.
“The 6th grade Camp Colton experience comes at the perfect time. As middle school students embrace new challenges in a safe and supportive environment, they gain self-awareness. They connect with their peers and teachers, discover their natural environment, and make lasting friendships,” said Ari Wilder, Executive Director of Friends of Camp Colton. “It’s wonderful to hear about the long-term impact of Camp Colton from alumni like Ariel and Richard.”
Learn more about the positive benefits of outdoor environmental education.
Ariel Aslan
Ariel Aslan
Graduating from Flagstaff High School, Aslan will attend Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University to study biology. Environmental educators at Camp Colton helped Ariel realize the wonders of the natural world and the importance of embracing new experiences.
Aslan shares:
The peaks glimmered with old snow that looked new as the sun climbed in the sky. We climbed, too, up a hill and into a little dipping valley covered in wild grasses. We sat down in the cool shade of a spruce tree. Its blueish branches were thrust into the air as if it was rejoicing, closing its eyes and soaking up the light.
The breeze was dancing on the edge of autumn, a little cold, but I didn’t mind because I had been sweating. That gale brought with it the smells of the wild tippity top of Flagstaff: green pine, stormy-gray rock, yellow sunlight. My heartbeat slowed and I was purely glad to be there. The botany counselor, a grad student with golden hair threaded through the back of a worn baseball cap, started talking about the spruce pines. I can’t tell you exactly what she said, but I can tell you the impression I got: biology was awesome. All these plants had their own functions within the intricate network that was an ecosystem, a world I had been lucky enough to stumble upon and study. That world was where I knew I belonged, regardless of the harsh realities of middle school. But Camp Colton was so much more than an escape: it was finding the truth about myself.
Six years later, during the summer of my senior year, I thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail. It’s a 100-mile journey filled with mountain ridges, pine trees, and wild grasses that sway in the wind…. I remember standing at the crest of a switchback, looking out on the emerald blanket that had, in the long past, crept over countless ridges to cover the Sierra Nevada Mountains with pine. And at that moment, I thought of Camp Colton. On that day when we learned botany up by the peaks. And before I knew it, memories came: singing at the campfire, stargazing, trekking through a lava tube, competing in tug-of-war, watching liquid nitrogen billow steam, building forest forts. On the Rim Trail, as a young woman, I thought back to the time in my childhood when my love for the wilderness was fortified by kind counselors and hands-on learning. Tears swelled in my eyes because I knew how much it had influenced me. Today, I’m about to go into college to study…that’s right: biology.
If you’re dubious about going to Camp Colton, know that it’s ok to feel scared; the Camp’s an unknown. But every great adventure is full of unknowns! I know from experience. I’m about to go to college at a university I never thought I would attend. And I’m excited because I have no idea what the future will hold. Allow yourself to be thrilled by the uncharted, because every single day is a new adventure. Take this adventure – Camp Colton – that’s available to you. Smell the pines. Let your heartbeat slow and be purely glad to be in the unpredictable, inspiring wilderness. For me, it’s what started it all.
Learn more about Camp programs.
Richard Montoya
Richard Montoya
Coconino High School graduate Montoya is also heading to Arizona State University. He attributes his Camp Colton experience to his love of travel and adventure, something that he hopes to continue through study abroad programs in college.
Montoya shares:
Camp Colton was one of the best and most inspiring times of my life. Traveling and camping with all of my friends outside of school really opened my eyes and made me realize how much fun the outside world can be. Since it’s been so long, my memories are vague but I remember being excited for every event, even going to sleep and waking up with friends around me. One of my most vivid memories is when all of us went to the beach volleyball sand court. This was the best time of the trip for me whilst all of my friends and I played different games with each other on the court. There was one specific game we all loved and played 90% of the time but unfortunately, I forgot the name. Camp Colton was a very meaningful time of my life and it’s where I met some of my closest friends. I honestly wish I could have attended Camp Colton every single year so that I could have continued the experience of living with friends and learned more throughout the years.
On the other hand, Camp Colton has inspired me to travel. I feel that leaving home and discovering different lifestyles is an essential piece of understanding everything around you. The hiking, exploring, and living environments are different for every location you visit making it unique each time. After Camp Colton, I did also realize that traveling was so much better with a group of people rather than alone. Being able to socialize and talk all night long with people you are close with is like no other. After Camp, I’ve visited places such as France, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. I even plan on studying abroad within the next few years at my university. Overall, Camp Colton did nothing but inspire and bring more meaning to travel and forming new relationships for me. I hope others can continue to be impacted by Camp Colton as much as I was.
