2008 Woodie Awards
Woman to climb volcano to help troubled teens
Aiselle De Vera
Issue date: 6/16/08 Section: Features
Equipped with about 50 pounds of climbing gear, 22-year-old Emily Tsitrian, an economics major at De Anza College, will brave freezing temperatures to climb 14,410 feet to the summit of the active volcano Mount Rainier on September 11. She, along with 17 other participants and three guides, will endure a strenuous three day climb for Backpacker's Magazine's nationwide event, Summit for Someone.
The event will fund Big City Mountaineers, which is a non-profit recreational mentoring program for at-risk teens. The program will give a group of teenagers from existing youth development organizations across the country an opportunity to go on a weeklong camping trip.
Tsitrian's motivation to participate in the event is her belief that "everybody has the right to see the stars and to look at flowers out in nature ... I want to share that with teenagers that never had that opportunity."
As a former Girl Scout, Tsitrian is no stranger to the great outdoors. She enjoys hiking, backpacking and doing trail work.
However, she has never gone rock climbing or glacier climbing. Her first encounter with glacier climbing will be a day before the actual climb when she will take a mountaineering class. In preperation, Tsitrian is doing strength training and cardio everyday. She hopes to gain a new level of confidence and feel healthy.
Tsitrian is responsible for raising $3,800, which will be enough to sponsor five teenagers to go on a weeklong camping trip. "I generally ask students for a $15 to $25 donation each because I know that money is really tight," said Tsitrian. She tries to ask every person she meets to donate and challenges herself to ask three new people every day. She will pay for her trip to Washington. Go to http://www.summitforsomeone.com to donate. Click on "donate" and search for Emily Tsitrian.
For questions or clarifictions you can e-mail her at esitrian@hotmail.com.
Aiselle De Vera is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at aiselledevera@lavozdeanza.com.
The event will fund Big City Mountaineers, which is a non-profit recreational mentoring program for at-risk teens. The program will give a group of teenagers from existing youth development organizations across the country an opportunity to go on a weeklong camping trip.
Tsitrian's motivation to participate in the event is her belief that "everybody has the right to see the stars and to look at flowers out in nature ... I want to share that with teenagers that never had that opportunity."
As a former Girl Scout, Tsitrian is no stranger to the great outdoors. She enjoys hiking, backpacking and doing trail work.
However, she has never gone rock climbing or glacier climbing. Her first encounter with glacier climbing will be a day before the actual climb when she will take a mountaineering class. In preperation, Tsitrian is doing strength training and cardio everyday. She hopes to gain a new level of confidence and feel healthy.
Tsitrian is responsible for raising $3,800, which will be enough to sponsor five teenagers to go on a weeklong camping trip. "I generally ask students for a $15 to $25 donation each because I know that money is really tight," said Tsitrian. She tries to ask every person she meets to donate and challenges herself to ask three new people every day. She will pay for her trip to Washington. Go to http://www.summitforsomeone.com to donate. Click on "donate" and search for Emily Tsitrian.
For questions or clarifictions you can e-mail her at esitrian@hotmail.com.
Aiselle De Vera is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at aiselledevera@lavozdeanza.com.
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