Alumni Reflection: Elliott Meade

By: Elliott Meade

Contrary to the lettered, yellow patch ironically affixed to my daypack, I was not a Happy Camper when I arrived at Green River Preserve in the Spring of 2012. Quite the opposite, I was carsick from the iconic ride up Green River Road and irked by the sudden static on the bus radio, which had interrupted twenty fourth graders’ rousing rendition of Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite.” Once a year, my elementary school attended GRP as part of the Preserve’s School of Environmental Education (SEE) programming. The overnight field trip was eagerly anticipated by all; I remember talking about GRP with my classmates as early as second grade. When I finally arrived, I was slightly greener and sweatier than I’d imagined I would be, but my motion sickness and radio related disappointment were quickly forgotten.

As I sat atop the Lower Balds for the very first time, I developed an incurable case of wanderlust that soon evolved into an enduring love of adventure and a commitment to responsible exploration. I spent the following two summers at GRP as a Summer Session camper where I gradually began to incorporate the Woodcraft Laws – Love, Truth, Beauty, and Fortitude – into my personal outlooks on adventure and stewardship. Although the time that I spent on the Preserve itself was comparatively short, these philosophies were incredibly resonant and informed my decision years later to move West in 2021 and join a conservation corps in Montana. Eventually, I returned to the East Coast and GRP in 2024 as an Outer Banks and Blue Ridge Expeditions leader, where I was thrilled to share my enthusiasm for backpacking, kayaking, and GRP traditions with the next generation of explorers and stewards. It makes me smile to think that so many stunning summits and nights under the stars began with a field trip, a car sickness bag, and a disco pop song. I am immensely grateful to the Preserve’s School of Environmental Education for setting my adventures in motion and for inspiring a love strong enough to bring me back to the incredible place where they began.