GOALS is a Colorado non-profit dedicated to introducing middle-school and high-school students to wilderness rivers (the acronym stands for Get Outside and Learn Something). On the last night of every GOALS river trip, students experience a brief “solo,” in which they put themselves in a place where they can’t see or hear another person, and a mental space where they can properly reflect on their experiences. During their solo, kids compose a letter to the canyon they’ve traveled through, offering thanks for the lessons they’ve learned.
Here are a few of the thank-you letters GOALS has collected over the years. See more on the GOALS page.