Adventure is a M.U.S.T.

For M.U.S.T. Mentees, the snow-topped mountains that line the eastern skyline of Seattle on a clear day seem a world away. Most have never had the chance to hear the crunch of snow under their feet, throw a snowball at a friend, or catch a snowflake on their tongue. Indeed, those far-away mountains can seem unreal, but the excitement, personal growth, and wonderment that happens when you take a bus load of 40 Mentees to the Snoqualmie Summit for a day of snowboarding and adventure is as real as it gets.

It’s a beautiful, long drive from Seattle to the summit, and the Mentees watched eagerly from the bus windows as the landscape slowly transformed from grassy hills to snow-covered mountainside. Upon arriving, each explored the new terrain in their way, jumping into snow drifts, testing their cold endurance, and sliding around on the ice-covered ground. Eventually, they were ready to gather their snowboarding gear and find their way to the ski lifts, where their instructor greeted them.

“What brought you to the summit today”? he cheerfully asked the group. A seemingly simple question, yet one packed with meaningful answers. M.U.S.T. believes in the importance of its Mentees exploring the world around them, experiencing new things, and challenging their bodies and minds. As M.U.S.T. Mentor Israel answered the instructor by explaining that it’s important for M.U.S.T. Mentees to venture outside of Seattle to experience new places, one of the Mentees chimed in, “Wait, we’re not in Seattle anymore!?” Some humor was found in this, but it punctuates just how important it is to get to know the world around them and explore outside of what they know.

As they spent the rest of the day learning how to catch the ski lifts, balance on their snowboards, and turn on the slopes, you could see their confidence strengthening, their world view expanding, and their camaraderie growing stronger. All over the mountain, you could hear the group cheering each other on, challenging each other, and having the time of their lives.