"...the best thing I've gone to in my life"

   
     "This is the best thing I've gone to in my life!" said an enthusiastic student.  The young man then proceeded to give the presenter a hug.
     Jan Reynolds---writer, photographer and world traveler extraordinaire---visited with students at Laraway School as part of our summer program. Her presentation captured images of faraway mosques, deserts, camels and hot air balloons floating through clouds.  She transported her audience to the Himalayas with its crowning peak---Mount Everest.  Her camera's lens introduced the marketplaces brimming with spices in varying hues and, more importantly, the people with whom she sipped tea while learning about their culture.
     "We (Americans) invented plastic and styrofoam," remarked Reynolds.  "There is no such thing as trash for the indigenous peoples I visit.  They use everything."  She offered the example of the yak's importance among Himalayan peoples.  The animals provide meat, milk, cheese, carrying-power and blankets.
     Reynolds has worked for National Geographic Magazine and is the author of the Vanishing Cultures  book series.  She's a graduate of the University of Vermont and was a member of the U.S. Biathlon Team in 1983 and 1984.  She's a skilled mountaineer and skier, having crossed the New Zealand Alps on cross country skis in 1979.
     Reynolds has achieved extraordinary heights in her career.  Her story is inspiring and loaded with important messages for our students...about setting goals and working towards them.  For more information, visit www.janreynolds.com.