2012 Scholarship Recipients!

Congratulations to Kaeden Fisher, Ali Calvillo, Siena Gumbiner and Moses Huck the 2012
GECKO, NOLS Scholarship recipients.

These students exemplified what GECKO is all about... A dream to make a difference
in the world, a desire to become leaders and further understand the natural world around
them. Ali and Moses are Pagosa Springs High School students and Kaeden and Siena
are from Durango High School.

It is important for GECKO to expand our awareness and when we reviewed the applications
from Siena and Kaeden and then met with them we felt very strongly as the board of directors
and selection committee that these two students would represent GECKO and Durango extremely
well. And indeed they did!

One of the more exciting aspects of the scholarship process is working with the students to determine
the best possible NOLS trip for them to take on. We encourage the students to get out of their comfort
zone and select a trip and an environment that will truly challenge them. Certainly these four stepped
up to the challenge this year.

Kaeden chose to spend 30 days in the Windriver mountain range of Wyoming, Ali spent a month on a
sea kayaking and sailing trip off the coast of Washinington, Siena spent a month in the wilds of Alaska
and Moses took a whitewater trip through Utah. Four amazing students and four incredible trips of a
lifetime.

Stay tuned for letters from these students sharing their individual experiences and adventures soon!

Morgan Murri
Founder, GEKO