From Adriane:  I started volunteering for The Woods Project several years ago, and was instantly captivated by the mission.  As a deep believer in the power of nature, I was thrilled to find an organization that was working SO HARD to provide these experiences for students who might now otherwise get the exposure.  Both as a volunteer and then as an employee, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how much what we do positively impacts out students - from helping them develop the internal tools they will need to push themselves in the face of challenges, to piquing their curiosity and engagement with the natural world, to giving them a safe space and supportive peers so they can further explore who they are and want to be, to helping them steer towards college and scholarships, to providing them with informal mentors outside of family and school... the benefits that The Woods Project provides go on and on.  Our team name is the Yosemite Spider Bears because that is the name that our TWP backpacking group in Yosemite last summer chose - and we will always wear it proudly!  Please join our team, and Walk for The Woods Project wherever you are!