Superheros and Bison
Our fourth day here in South Dakota has been nothing short of exciting. Not as many of the kids showed up today as it was the July 4th but those who did come had a blast. Even with the rain the small group was busy and full of energy. At one point in the day a girl walked up to me with the smile she ALWAYS has on and looked back to her friend for affirmation and then back at me. I knew a shoulder ride was coming but my shoulders weren't prepared. She asked for exactly what I expected... a shoulder ride. Little did I know, that shoulder ride would turn into the fifth Avengers movie featuring the "Soup Monster". Erick, Ellie, Jake, Sarah and I all became allies or villains, either supporting or "fighting" our tiny tot heroes. I started as a hero and was beat up by Supergirl and the Hulk, but after the sixth time I "died" Black Widow came to me and turned me into a good guy. She then said I was healed and had to help them fight the Soup Monster (Erick). That was definitely one of my favorite moments of this trip.
The heroes and villains game was just one of many things I will remember about this trip. There are also certain qualities about each kid that will stick in my head and make me smile when I think of them. These qualities include: this boy who loves to hug every single person (especially when he's wet), a girl who is always the peacemaker by calling out bad words, another boy's creativity and drawing skills, and the confidence and independence of one of the tiny tots. This is my first time working with kids this age so it's really cool to see all their unique qualities shine.
The kids are not the only highlight of this trip; the nature has had me in awe since we've landed. I knew coming here that it was going to be very different compared to Connecticut, but I did not expect the vastness of the prairie. Erick said it reminded him of the ocean and I could not agree more. The wildlife is limited but definitely unique. I've seen antelope and dogs roaming around which is something new to me but what shocked us all was the surprise pelican that landed near us. All of these animals were definitely fun to see but what really excited me was the bison. I had seen them earlier this morning but they were kind of far away. However, we were surprised later in the day when we took a 16 mile detour on our way to the showers to see the bison, only this time... they were closer. I was ecstatic since they are my third favorite animal and I've only seen them in zoos. They really are majestic, especially when they run as a herd.
South Dakota is definitely worth a visit.
-Mike Roux
The heroes and villains game was just one of many things I will remember about this trip. There are also certain qualities about each kid that will stick in my head and make me smile when I think of them. These qualities include: this boy who loves to hug every single person (especially when he's wet), a girl who is always the peacemaker by calling out bad words, another boy's creativity and drawing skills, and the confidence and independence of one of the tiny tots. This is my first time working with kids this age so it's really cool to see all their unique qualities shine.
The kids are not the only highlight of this trip; the nature has had me in awe since we've landed. I knew coming here that it was going to be very different compared to Connecticut, but I did not expect the vastness of the prairie. Erick said it reminded him of the ocean and I could not agree more. The wildlife is limited but definitely unique. I've seen antelope and dogs roaming around which is something new to me but what shocked us all was the surprise pelican that landed near us. All of these animals were definitely fun to see but what really excited me was the bison. I had seen them earlier this morning but they were kind of far away. However, we were surprised later in the day when we took a 16 mile detour on our way to the showers to see the bison, only this time... they were closer. I was ecstatic since they are my third favorite animal and I've only seen them in zoos. They really are majestic, especially when they run as a herd.
South Dakota is definitely worth a visit.
-Mike Roux
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