WASP -- What a great time! I wanted to do something special with my family on a visit to Laramie. We decided on a wilderness adventure. I discovered WASP after a Duckduckgo search -- what a find! Casino and Kelly put together a special day for the kids at a camp in Medicine Bow National Park: what to do if they get lost in the woods, how to make an emergency shelter, how to make fire with flint and steel, and some animal tracking. Then a hike, some rock climbing, and exploring caves. To say WASP is a great school is an understatement. I've attended a few other wilderness schools. Casino and Kelly are experts. They know the animal signs, the plants, all the principles of living in the wild, and so much more. And speaking as a professional educator, I can tell you they are very talented teachers and coaches. They were prepared with a lot of different activities, because kids attention spans are short. They got the kids engaged right away, held their attention, and shifted gears very smoothly. They designed activities so the kids could be successful -- which made them want to learn even more. Let's talk about logistics. They picked us up in a passenger van which was packed with drinks, snacks and gear. We were at the camp in about 40 minutes tops. There were folding chairs and a work table. And you have to see all the swag the kids got. Go ahead, check out the pictures I uploaded, I wait while you look... back so soon? Ok. Those necklaces: Emergency whistle, signal mirror, flint and steel, and a waterproof container for some cotton. The waist packs: A self-powered flashlight, a tarp with lines and stakes to make a shelter, an emergency blanket, and a small notebook. Kids forget what you gave them but they remember what you did with them. WASP could have taught us a thousand more things; maybe they will as the kids grow. But we made a life memory out there. Go, WASP! read more

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