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“I can’t believe we’re actually here!” an 8th grade Somali student said in disbelief. She was standing at the top of Rattlesnake Ridge, overlooking Rattlesnake Lake and the foggy, snow-crowned Cascade mountain range. Just like most of the other refugee girls there, this was her first trip to the mountains in the United States. Even though we were just an hour away from their home, they had never made the trip to the nearby wilderness.

The ̽����ѡ’s Girls for PEACE (Promoting Empowerment through Arts, Community, and Education) decided Spring Break was the perfect opportunity for a hike. The field trip was an opportunity to build community, see the beautiful state we live in, and provide a reprieve from mid-week Spring Break boredom.

None of the girls regularly hike and they worked hard gaining more than 1000’ in elevation over two miles to the peak. They marveled at the sheer number of trees, how much moss was on the trees, and learned about tree rings. At the top of the ridge, the girls felt victorious. They ate a hard-earned lunch and documented the view on their cell phones to show their friends and family. One student even let out a “Best! Field! Trip! Ever!”

The girls bonded with each other and the hike leaders, went outside of their comfort zones (the trick to using a Port-A-Potty for the first time is not looking too closely), learned about nature, and became more confident in their mountaineering skills as the day went on. One 7th grade girl remarked, “I’m scared all the time, but now I’m not scared of hiking or dogs”. The girls ended the day proud of themselves and proud of each other - and with big ideas for hikes in the future.