Sarah “Aurora” Schantzen
“Outdoor School reaffirmed my career choice of becoming an art therapist to work with kids and adults with special needs.”
Previously, I'd been a high school leader for five sessions. Then this past session, I went back as a SNEED counselor. It was an amazing experience, to say the least. The week started out discouraging, as my SNEED student kept on reminding me she wanted to go home, and she wasn't having much fun. We kept reminding her that this place, Outdoor School, is a wonderful place that is so fun, eye-opening, and inspiring, if she would just open her heart up to the idea. By the second half of the second day, she was laughing, making friends, and at the end of the trip, she was crying because she didn't want to go home. I was inspired by her transformation throughout the week; seeing her grow and push through her difficulties and struggles made me rethink how I should approach my own life struggles. This experience also reaffirmed my career choice of becoming an art therapist to work with kids and adults with special needs.
