Thought you might enjoy reading some of the "reflections"... Barbara Ross, Coordinator

REFLECTIONS
YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE 2006

Submitted by Keri Green:
The waves crash onto the sandy white bank. It's like they are bowing to the great forest. The lake is so calm and peaceful. When the sun hits it just right, it sparkles like gold and silver in a treasure chest.  The mountains are standing tall and proud, surrounding the lake, their shadows casting down onto the water, as if guarding the lake, protecting it from the outside world. I can smell the scent of pine from the forest behind me. I am at peace in this magical place. The distant call of a jay attracts my attention to its home. Its nest is bound so tightly together that the young will be safe 'til it's their time to take flight. This forest, this place is a place of protection, from the snowy tops of the mountains to the bottom of the lake to the edge of the forest. Everything protects everything. This place is a place of peace. Nature is magic in a way, always beautiful, yet never the same; always changing, yet the trees creak of age. This place is a place of freedom. Everything is free to do whatever they want whenever they want to do it. The waves choose to bow to the forest; the mountains choose to protect the lake; it was the jay's choice to make its nest safe; the forest chooses to let me sit here and admire its beauty. We all have the freedom to do what we want. We have the power to change the world for the better or the worse. We all need to work together to survive. We are like the ant. They work together to bring good to their home, even though it's huge and heavy, they still do it alone. The task is impossible, but together anything is possible.
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Submitted by Katrina Manalo:
I've heard so many praises for Lake Tahoe. I've heard people say how beautiful the lake is. Now I am here, just a few feet away from it. The mountains are in every direction. They're all partly covered in snow. It's such an amazing sight to see snow in the month of May. I can smell the scent of the pine trees. I can hear the water. I can hear the sounds of birds nearby. The ducks are gracefully moving with the serenity of the lake. It could be incredible if everyone would be given a chance to go here and see the place with their own eyes, and not just through pictures and postcards. Lake Tahoe is definitely something we should preserve for our children, grandchildren, and the future generations. It would be wonderful for them to get to experience being part of this wonderful place.
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Submitted anonymously:
I have never seen anything as peaceful, calm or serene as this lake is. The sweet sound of silence is only broken by the crystal clear water gently rolling back and forth on the shore and the sweet songs of the birds.  The colors are absolutely the most beautiful part of the lake. There are countless shades of blues and emerald greens in front of me and the farther away you look, the darker they get, making the other side of the lake beautifully mysterious. I can actually think clearly here, without the distraction of people talking or traffic in the streets. I can't express in words how much this means to me. There's no place that can match its beauty.
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Submitted anonymously:
Sometimes I forget what a great life I have. A family that loves me and a healthy body and a world to explore. I got the choice to come to this conference sponsored by The American Legion. I didn't know much about what I would do here, except camp and learn about the environment. I learned that it's a good idea to take chances. I didn't know I would sit in front of this huge beautiful lake; I didn't know how many great people I would get to know. I didn't know about forestry or the planets or how beautiful quiet can be. I want to preserve this earth so others can learn all of these things. I will take so much away from this conference - new friends, new ideas, and great pictures. Not so much in my camera, but in my heart. Thank you, Barbara, and The American Legion and all of the others who made this so awesome. I will make you proud I was here.
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Submitted anonymously:
Swoosh.... The waves are soft. They swoosh on one side, then the other. The water is calm. It does not say anything. It keeps the life peaceful and quiet.
Psszzaaoo... The jet passes by. Over the snowy mountain it went. It is so tall that the snow looks like it is falling downward. The rock of the mountain turns into many green trees. The snow showers the trees with fluffy white powder. The clouds are being sucked into the top of the mountain. They look as if they are going to merge together. The jet's fuel blows smoke into a line. I guess two jets crossed through each other's path.
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Submitted anonymously:
The water at Lake Tahoe is very clear and quiet and the waves aren't that big, they are quite small. The birds keep on chirping the sound over and over. The weather is very nice. It is not that hot. There is very little humidity. Some parts of the lake are dark while the shallow end is very clear. There is snow covering the whole entire mountain. I see many boats parking at the lake's dock. Many pieces of the tree limb and leaves falling on the shore line. The current of the water is traveling in one direction.
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Submitted by Mr. Rick Bernard:
The fool has said there is no God. What beauty we find in this place. But, it is because of God's glorious grace. As I ponder by the quiet water to think of my purpose, or if I should bother. Truly it is God's gift that I find acceptance and love, for it is the Lord that watches me from above.
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Submitted anonymously:
One thing that I often find myself doing when I'm at places like this, beautiful, serene, vast expanses of nature is wonder what lies beyond. I can often point and say "beyond that ridge lives Mono Lake", or "behind us the mountains give way to the valley". It comforts me to know where I stand amidst the great unknown. You don't really realize it in the valley, but it's noisy, a neighbor mows his lawn, a young boy starts up a go-ped, teenagers speed down the street, husbands and wives fight and bicker, not to mention our own sounds: voices, I-pods, pen is tapping and students clapping, make our world never cease its chatter. But here, the waves lap up against the surf, the wind moves the trees, a dog collar jingles and birds say "Hey, Jerry". My name's not Jerry, but I feel welcome in the forest all the same. Why are we drawn to nature? Humans have already tamed nearly 60% for us to use, yet we can't help but still marvel at our planet, at the wonders we have not created, but love as if they were our own. Half Dome, Tahoe, Yellowstone, Point Reyes, the brothers and sisters of Mother Earth, whom we ceased contact with, only to realize they hold our answers to our past.
Love thy brother, thy sister. Their life force is ours as well.
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Submitted by Elizabeth Vogt:
The gentle lapping of the lake's tide bringing a cool, crisp smell to the surrounding air.  A percussion of bird calls and insects buzzing resounds from the forest. The spotted snow capped mountains stand boldly, protecting Tahoe. All is peacefully wrapped in a blanket of tranquility. As the feeble spider crawls beneath a rock, the tree and dead twigs whisper "come to me. Rest your weary eyes." Growth is everywhere, encompassing it with new life. Pools of the divine crystal water dot the beach; endlessly the water seems to reach, grasping the far off mountains with its iron fist. Golden is the beach scattered with previous jewels..the jewels of Mother Nature. "Come to me, come to me. Rest your weary eyes".
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Submitted anonymously:
Oh, my gosh!! This is simply breathtaking.the scenery is so beautiful. The peaceful, gentle sounds of the waves are peace instilling, unlike the loud clashing of the waves, these waves were very small and their petite clash creates a mood of relaxation and peace. The water looks so pure, clean, crisp.it's an amazing sight. There are mountain landscapes to my left side and it's amazing to be able to see different beautiful landscapes all at once - the water, the mountain, the trees. When I see the mountains I'm amazed and in disbelief that such a landscape is right in front of my eyes. The mountains look so real and they're just like in films, like Lord of the Rings. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to see a sight like this. When I look at the pine trees, they look so similar from far away, but it's awesome how different they look from up close, where their unique beauty is seen in each different tree. As I just stare out straight in front of me I feel so blessed and thank the Lord for creating such beautiful sights that are captivating and breathtaking. Being given this free time I have the opportunity to simply view life in a harmonious way. Simply hearing the peaceful clashes of the small current, I have been given the opportunity to reflect on life, I can reflect and further believe that life is truly beautiful and it is a blessing to be able to be here, away from the urbanization, problems, etc. At home I just live life in a peaceful, calm, simple way. At home life is usually a fight against time and it often becomes difficult to be able to relax and enjoy life to the fullest. There is so much to do at home that sometimes it becomes hard to pay attention to the little details in our surroundings and with that we miss some of the most beautiful aspects of life. There is no time to freely look around, and we miss beautiful events, sights, moments that are priceless. Quiet, peaceful scenery allows us to see and enjoy the little details in life. Being given the opportunity to just capture God's creation has reminded me that I should remember to pause and look around sometimes or I might miss something beautiful that will escape my reach and will not be seen ever again.
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Submitted by Alex Cortes:
Lake Tahoe up close is nothing compared to what you see on television or hear from other people. It has such awesome scenery that cannot be explained. The mountains look so beautiful, nothing I've ever seen before.
The sound of the water and birds combined is like a melody that just goes together. The breeze is just right. The wind blows as if it's trying to tell you "Look at all of this, it's yours. Take care of it and it would last a lot more. It's so blue, so green, so brown just the right amount of colors a magical place should have.
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Submitted by Lucy Zheng
ETERNAL BEAUTY - Looming mountains topped with snow, once brown hills layered with green, Clear waters rippling in from the lake, no more beauty can be seen. Such happy sounds from the birds, what calmness bestowed to the fish, Lo, and even the most rambunctious humans are quiet, and shall that peace be relished. A gurgle from the water erupts, See that clear blue water is the landscape, One would expect that power to burst, yet the tranquility of peace is illustrated in that one gentle wave.
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Submitted anonymously:
Lake Tahoe is huge. The water is a kind of blue that a camera can never capture. Hyper dogs leaving prints all over the shore. It's just so nice here. I've never been to a place with so many trees - pines, oaks. It's so strange seeing the sky so blue and all the water in the lake so clear. The clarity of it all is just so foreign to me. Makes me think about everything that has changed in our world. People used to live simple lives in the wilderness, taking only what they need to survive. Greed and desire have taken over the human souls and the world. People desire wealth and luxury that can only be created through the destruction of the "primitive nature". Many religions call for people to live simple lives with little greed and desire for luxury. Buddhism, Christianity, etc. Yet people don't follow their own religion because life cannot be lived without luxury. I am agnostic. I have no religion.
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Submitted anonymously:
The waves make me think how peaceful everything can be. Everything around the lake seems as though it has just stopped in a perfect moment. The mountains of snow look as though it would be in a Christmas story of wonder and gloryious things that happen. The mountains also look as though you could touch them and grab a ball of snow and hold it in your hands forever. When I'm out here just listening to the water going in and out it just make everything that's not going right or even problems with school just seem to go away and all you are left with is the sound of water going in and coming
out. This is the moment of life that is just a good feeling. The sky always seems like white balls just floating in the air that sometimes makes up different animals. But here they seem even closer than before. Here they just seem like they're telling you that everything is OK.
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Submitted by David Fournier:
WONDERFUL BLUE - Depths beneath the surface lie lapping sand on the shoreline holds reflections of clouds passing by framed by green hues of Jeffrey pines. Storms have blown these waters tossing boats onto the shores. Cold, clear water from winter's snow bounded by rugged mountains. Peace and calm and warmth today, daydreaming on a bed of pine needles. Gentle breeze o'er lake thru trees whispered my name and drew me near to the Wonderful Blue.
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Submitted anonymously:
The lake reminds me of home and it makes me less homesick. I like the sound of the water - it's peaceful. If I were home I probably would never just sit quietly and observe what's around me and write about whatever I want to write about. This experience has been interesting for me. I'm not an outdoor person, but I do want to learn about nature. There have been many times when I just wanted to go home, but there were times when I had fun and didn't really notice that I was in a different place. I've never been to Lake Tahoe before and it's beautiful. The mountains are great, too, especially with the snow. I'm glad that the weather is good, unlike yesterday. It's been fun meeting new people and getting to know them. Now that I have time to think about things, I can't help thinking about homework that I have to do when I get back. I'll try and not worry about that 'til Monday and instead just enjoy the time I have here. I see trees - standing, leaning and ones that have fallen. Some are tall, some are short. I see insects of every kind - flying, crawling. Some are big, some are small. I see a world filled with beauty. I see a place created by God. One that we must protect for it's ours, truly.
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Submitted anonymously:
Sweet touches of pure water, footprints along guide you in your path. The birds are happy for their life is everyday beauty. Together in silence we have just proved possible. I can hear the sublimity. I close my eyes and imagine floating through these lands of earth. This reflection of growing trees and the mother sun in between.  I hope that I don't die from the black lover bugs that just crawled up my leg, but it is all life, these things mean, what it is we all are. We all sir it up, for it's what's to be.
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Submitted anonymously:
There is a cool breeze beneath the warm sun, which provides a comforting balance in the weather. I can smell the sweetness of the Jeffrey Pine, and unforgettable smell of a forest. Not only does it seem calm all around, but there is a certain satisfaction I feel. Today the lake is very relaxed. It is an unbelievable clear color that makes it seem so crisp and inviting. I can hear the small waves as they lap over the sand. I can hear the wind blowing through the branches and tree, making far away sounds. There is the sound of two birds talking, and I can only wonder what they're saying. Lake Tahoe is such a sight to see. Not only is the lake so beautiful, but the mountains all around. There is even some snow along the ridges. The sky is a radiant blue with scatters of white clouds. The environment around causes me to just stop and think. It makes me forget about everything bad, like there's no problems, and I think about the bigger picture. I think about how beautiful and amazing this world can be. Speechless. It also makes me feel lonely. I see myself only a tiny piece of what the world is. I see how mighty and big the world is. It makes me wonder where it all came from, and then I think about how the environment is being polluted, and the thoughts of losing such a wonderful site makes me sad, depressed, and alone.
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Submitted by Nancy Hernandez:
The beauty of nature is one of the second most important things for me. I think about the forests and the ocean but I'm in a forest so he trees, birds and wind is what calms me down. When I'm feeling sad or want to be alone, I think of the forests and lakes. Well, many things about nature makes me respect myself and others. When I'm in school I think of rejection from my friends and classmates.
Since I'm a sophomore at West Covina High School I'm always looking for a college that has lots of trees, peace and quiet. Ever since I was 5 years old I would want to go to the lake. This gets me to relax and have peace with myself so that's why I like the forest.
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Submitted anonymously:
I see the water, so clear and calm. I noticed that the level is very high, not leaving much room for the sand on the beach. There are boats just to the right of where I'm sitting. I'm thinking it's a perfect day to go out on the lake, but yet only a relatively few boats are running. The sky is beautiful. You don't really see skies like this anymore. I can't believe that there is still snow on the mountains around me. It is almost June and the snow makes the landscape beautiful as in the winter. The bugs around me tend to make me feel a little uncomfortable, but as my mom says, this is their home so you must show respect and not hurt or intrude on them in any way. I heard the birds chirping around me and it makes me think that they must be having a great time living here. I know I would. The ducks are coming in now.
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Submitted anonymously:
 It makes me kind of sad and mad that in such a short period of time we take such a beautiful structure of land and destroy it just for ourselves. I mean do we really need malls, movie theatres and stuff like that? We should be thankful that we have such a great country to live in, and we shouldn't ruin it. While I sit here I feel free, and away from all my stress. With the way our economy/population is growing we don't need any more. We have more than enough as it is. Hearing he wildlife just makes me feel happy and at home. I was practically raised camping and hunting with my dad so I love the wilderness. I love being outdoors and smelling the pine from the pine trees. We need to stop all this building like homes and businesses because we don't need them. It just makes me so angry that people can be so selfish, unaware about what they're doing and no care about anything, and to just make themselves happy. I just wish we could live like people did in the past, because we don't need all this stuff we have now. We only have it for our pleasure, and entertainment. When I say I go hunting people think I'm destroying/killing innocent animals. I don't do it just for a sport; I do it for food. With all this pollution and global warming I think we don't need cars. I really don't see the point in them. I would be perfectly happy traveling around on a bike or a horse and buggy. Because with all the people in the world and pollution we cause we're not only killing the earth, but we're killing ourselves as well. I'm very thankful to have the experience in knowing about the environment because it taught me what I can do to keep this planet alive and happy.
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Submitted anonymously:
I cannot believe they are having us do reflections already! It's only day 2 yet I have already made such sweet friends. I hope when we leave, we will be able to group up again to meet for a potluck or something like NCYLS. I'm so glad I saw Omega!! Even though I wasn't able to get her for Jcrew this year. I'm glad I saw her again for YELC. I'm excited I was able to bond with 2 new Wallenberg students.  I was able to click with a lot of people whom I'd normally NOT. Now that I know what I say will be published, I'd love to say "Thank You" to..Youth Environmental Leadership Conference American Legion; the Sly park school site - Stephen and Phil (principal). All of these organizations and our high school has made it possible to learn about nature, in nature, to preserve our nature. I'm so thankful to meet so many other OUTSTANDING leaders of California, all of you have made an impact in my life, even if it was a simple "Hello" or talking about school, or sleeping on your shoulder or taking your picture. You will always be in a special place in my heart.
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Submitted by Sasha Perez Fry:
When I sit here, just listening to the ways of our earth, I can be happy and revived. I see how clear the water rolling up on to the tips of my feet is. For miles it glides to the other side where it pairs with the high white topped mountain. I hear the sounds of everyday life here, where so much beauty can be seen. Looking down, I see sparkles in the marble colored sand as we slush along, but we can all stop for silence.together. The earth does as it pleases, the sun peaks out every so often through the clouds to show that it lives. There are birds and life and trees and mountains and sky, but then there's us, with our boats parked on the water and our feet on the sand and our hands that made the stumps and put in the signs. But this is our world now - all of us. Us, people and the earth, the sun and its children of life. Even the humungus ants that crawl around our feet and the bugging black insects that crawl are part of this life. And, after I turn to watch how gorgeous the towering white mountains are that lie so close to us, I see that we are part of it all. These people with us, I a program of today educating us, and feeding us knowledge of what they've absorbed. Knowledge of ways of a part of our world that lives, and without words show us how much they love the earth and will spend their lives working and living with it. It's every little thing that makes up our existence. I'm happy being in it, and love amazing my eyes with such beautiful things. There's a true connection between us all, and by us I mean everything. We truly must surround ourselves with who and what we love, because we don't realize how much lies within us and in the roots.
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Submitted anonymously:
To think that this lake had been just sitting here only being used by the Native Americans for so many years. It's so peaceful you can sit here and watch the gentle waves lapping up on shore for hours. The surroundings bring life to this wonderful lake and life is beautiful. I think finding inner harmony and peace can be achieved anywhere but here it can be achieved more soundly and gently. You can see the small and gentle ripples moving away from shore and you as if taking away all bad things from you and allowing you to get in touch with nature, with the exception of the boats. I think this lake should be left just the way it is, and preserve it that way. Some people look out on the lake and see great boating and fishing opportunities, but when I look out I can see nature to is fullest. Snow covered mountain tops as far as the eye can see. The snow melting and draining in to the lake where it will be held for the next 200 years within the shores of Lake Tahoe. The power and beauty that this lake holds is almost mystical, empowering and at times, depressing. It is depressing to see that this lake had to fall into the hands of man and not nature.