Each year, Western Youth Network takes a group of students from the After School Program on a week-
long trip to Carolina Beach State Park. I interviewed Anna Wilkie, also known as just “Wilkie,” WYN’s
After School Site Leader for our west program, about her experience that week.
Q: Tell me a little bit about the purpose of the spring break trip.
Wilkie: Obviously, kids need to have fun. Most of the WYN kids can’t afford or don’t have the resources
to go to the beach, to the aquarium, or kayaking. Even with all the snow days this year in Watauga
County, we wanted some of the kids to go because they earned the trip through good behavior and
responsible decisions. It was windy and cold, so we couldn’t do all of the activities we wanted to do, but
it was still fun.
The trip is also a lesson in responsibility because they need to pack their clothes and be prepared to
camp for an entire week. For example, we communicate that they need to be proactive about hanging
up their wet clothing, otherwise, it won’t dry and they will have wet clothes to wear. They also need
to help with chores, getting water, and helping to make dinner. These activities also teach teamwork
because they often have to do activities in pairs or groups.
Q: Have most of the kids been to the beach before?
Wilkie: We had a total of eight kids on the trip and at least one that I know of for sure had never been
to the beach or seen the ocean before. It’s not uncommon for WYN kids to have these kinds of first
experiences on our trips. Again, their families don’t have the resources for recreational activities.
Q: What was the highlight of the trip for you?
The Hermit Trail. We visited the old WWII bunker and the kids learned a little bit about Robert Harrill
who used to live in the bunker where he spent his days fishing and cooking. You can also see the
memorials and pictures about Harrill’s life. He showed people how to live peacefully and passively.
As we walked along the trail I would tell the kids about the plants and animals, like the Snowy Egret,
which is a beautiful white bird with a slender black bill, long black legs and yellow feet. It was great to
watch their reactions.
Q: What were their reactions?
Wilkie: They would stare in silence. Maybe they thought I was making stuff up, but I’m fairly certain that
their silence was because it was all new information for them. It was exciting to see their faces to new
experiences.
Q: Is there one particular story of growth that you saw in any of the kids that week?
Wilkie: One girl was having some issues following through on a task. The staff asked her to clean up her
dishes from dinner, but she kept putting it off until it was dark out, and then she complained that it was too dark to do the dishes. She eventually dumped her left-overs outside next to my tent instead of in the
trash can. We explained to the children that it’s important to keep food out of the tents and to dispose
of food in the trash cans because of raccoons, possums, and deer. The staff cleaned it up and the next
day we talked to her about it and gave her the consequence of doing all the dishes from dinner that
night. Initially she refused, shut down and walked away. We gave her some time. She came back and
apologized. It was really a breakthrough moment for her and we were all really impressed that she held
herself accountable.
Q: Any final comments about the trip?
Wilkie: Never go to the aquarium on a rainy day. Ever. It’s so crowded!
By Faith Motter, Director of Development
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