Sierra Nevada Journeys Takes the Classroom Outdoors and Youth to Nature

Corrie Calderon: [00:00:00] We're really just going outside, we're using our senses, we're looking at things, we're seeing different colors, we're, we're taking a deep breath in of this fresh air, we're smelling the flowers, literally smelling the flowers as we go. We're, we're touching grass, we're feeling the smooth rocks by the river, and making those observations, that's just such a critical component of the scientific method, scientific practices, and so just showing students this is, this is how you do science.

Anyone can do science

Jeff Holden: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion are simple: to highlight the incredible nonprofits that make our communities stronger. Each episode is a chance for these organizations to tell their story in their words, sharing not just what they do, but why it matters to the people they serve, [00:01:00] to their supporters, and to all of us who believe in the power of community.

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Today we're getting outside the four walls of the classroom with an organization that believes some of the most powerful learning happens when kids can see, touch, [00:02:00] smell, explore, and experience the natural world for themselves. Sierra Nevada Journeys has been creating outdoor science education experiences for nearly 20 years, reaching more than 30,000 young people each year through programs in Sacramento, Reno, and at its residential outdoor education camp in the Sierra Nevada.

I'm joined by CEO Sean Hill and advancement officer Cory Calderon, who share how a simple question from a child at Lake Tahoe helped launch the organization, why access to nature and STEM education matters so much, and how a three-hour field trip can completely change the way a student sees themselves and the world around them.

We'll also talk about Sierra Nevada Journey's remarkable acquisition of roughly 1,500 acres of protected forest, the transportation and scholarship barriers that still keep some students from participating, and what it will take to make these experiences available 

Scott Thomas: [00:03:00] to even more kids. This is Sierra Nevada Journeys.

Jeff Holden: Sean Hill, Corey Calderon, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. Thanks for having us, Jeff. 

Corrie Calderon: Thanks for having us. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: I'm excited because what you do is so different from the norm of who we have in the studio. Mm. They're indoors. Mm. And I would say 85, 90% of the people we speak with are indoor organizations.

You are all outdoor, and I, I like when I see the staff on, on some of these organizations, 'cause you look at their pictures as you define the staff and, you know, somebody's out riding a horse, somebody's on a, you know, on a, a- ... an all-terrain vehicle of some sort, somebody's in the water in a kayak, you know, somebody's hiking a mountain.

It's, it's- Yep ... it's just great to see that everybody's living what they do for a living- Mm ... which is, is really neat. So Sean, there, there's people that would kill to [00:04:00] have your job. You know, they would- ... love to be outside not doing construction- ... you know, but actually in the environment in some way, shape, or form.

If I'm not mistaken, the organization's 20 years plus now? 

Sean Hill: That's right. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And the history of its genesis is really, really unique. I've told the story a million times because it's so funny to think of that perspective. So I'm gonna have you share it because I, I think it, it'll add a lot more credibility to the story anyhow.

Sean Hill: Great. Great. Yeah, I love talking about Sierra Nevada Journey, so happy to tell that story. We are almost in our 20th year. You know, we were actually founded in 2006, but we-- I think we got our non-profit status in 2007, so- Mm-hmm ... we're in that 20-year anniversary mode right now. Our organization was founded by a gentleman, uh, Jonathan Mueller, who was working with a group of students, uh, from Northern Nevada, and actually they were at Lake Tahoe.

And, uh, it was an outdoor education program [00:05:00] with a, a similar organization. And one of the students in that group asked Jonathan, "Are there sharks in that ocean?" And of course, the student's looking at Lake Tahoe. So we call that the big aha moment in our history. And Jonathan from there saw that there were, there, there was an issue there.

There were multiple issues there. You can think, you know, scientific literacy, a child never having been to the lake before despite living close to it, having that natural connection and understanding those natural systems. And so that's kind of our origin story at Sierra Nevada Journeys. Jonathan was actually the person that hired me.

I've been with the organization since 2009. And in those early days, we were doing youth outdoor education and of course scientific literacy. My pathway to the, to the organization, I actually was a science major as an undergraduate, and environmental science was my focus because I like to spend time outdoors.

I think you can trace back for a lot of people a [00:06:00] transformative experience in nature that has guided their pathway. Mm-hmm. And so that certainly happened to me. I had a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon in high school and decided I wanted to study the environment. And so after I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I joined a program called Teach For America, and I was a high school science teacher.

I was a high school biology teacher actually in inner-city Houston, Texas. And I was working at a, a giant school, a giant high school, and my classroom had no windows inside of it. Wow. And I had three periods a day 'cause we were on a block schedule, and then three the next day, and it was, it was kinda depressing for me.

It wasn't a great place for my students. And I started to take my kids outdoors whenever I could, my classes. I would look for reasons to do a lab in the outdoors, to study something outside. And people are looking at me kinda crazy because Houston, Texas [00:07:00] is pretty warm. You know? Yes. It's, uh, I think the humidity's higher than here in Sacramento.

I was 

Jeff Holden: gonna say, not to mention the humidity. 

Sean Hill: Yeah, not to mention the humidity. And so, but we did it, and you know what? The kids were engaged. They were the most engaged I had ever seen them. Mm. And so I actually decided to kind of point my career in this direction. I looked into, you know, is there something here about getting kids outside and about outdoor education, and it turns out there is.

And so I went to-- I found a graduate program back in Colorado. We were joking earlier. It's got a, a really long title, but I g- I got a master's in science in human dimensions of natural resources. And through that program, I worked in a fellowship with an outdoor education nonprofit in Colorado, and I really found this work.

And so, you know, back in 2009, master's degree in hand, I went and I looked for a place, uh, that was doing this kind of work 'cause that's kind of where my heart was, and I knew that there was impact to be made here. And that's when I met Jonathan and I heard [00:08:00] about Sierra Nevada Journeys. And, you know, fast-forward, I've been here now, what is that, 17 years ago- Yeah

and have been really pinching myself the whole time, as you mentioned. What a wonderful position to be in. What a wonderful-- You know, I wake up every day truly believing in the work that we do. Mm. Yeah. So I'm very fortunate. 

Jeff Holden: And getting to experience it at the highest level from the start. Yeah. I mean, three years in basically is, is, is origination.

Sean Hill: I mean, that's-- And when I started, I, I started as an educator. You know, I had my science background. I had a teaching back- Mm-hmm ... background. And so I started in the organization, boots on the ground, in the outdoors, which of course was part of it too. Yeah. Yeah. I wanted a lot of people that are drawn to working with Sierra Nevada Journeys love to spend time in the outdoors.

But it was, it was early days in the organization. I've worn a lot of hats over the years, and, uh, just again, really fortunate and privileged to still be a part of the organization. Yeah. Absolutely. 

Jeff Holden: Four walls, no windows to no walls- ... 

Sean Hill: all windows. That's right. Exactly. [00:09:00] No walls. And you know, it's with that, the, there, there's a lot of barriers that go away with what you can do with a group of kids.

Sure. Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: We'll get into that now. 

Sean Hill: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: So science, science education, science literacy, these can be pretty heady descriptions of what you do and for what the programs are. But- Who is it you serve when you're talking about the science and the biology and the water and the air and the outdoors? 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm.

Wait, I don't know. Is it heady? C- Cory, what do you think? 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we were reflecting on this, and, you know, these concepts seem complex, and what we try to do at Sierra Nevada Journeys is make this type of education really accessible to students. And so we're, we're hoping to engage these students who have historically lacked access to high-quality STEM education, who haven't had these outdoor experiences, who are underrepresented in STEM fields, and really show them science isn't-- It's not that hard.

We're really just [00:10:00] going outside. We're using our senses. We're looking at things. We're seeing different colors. We're, we're taking a deep breath in of this fresh air. We're smelling the flowers, literally smelling the flowers as we go. We're, we're touching grass. We're feeling the smooth rocks by the river.

And making those observations, that's just such a critical component of the scientific method, scientific practices. And so just showing students this is, this is how you do science. Anyone can do science. So, so that's kinda how I see us get that buy-in to these more complex concepts. Of course, we try to address next-generation science standards, but really the pathway to that is just showing students all you have to do is just look around.

Jeff Holden: And it's amazing to me to think just 90 miles away, some of these students Children have never seen the river. 

Sean Hill: Mm. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Much less the lake- Yeah ... or the mountains or snow or wildlife. [00:11:00] Mm-hmm. I mean, so many things that they just don't get exposed to by nature of the environment they live in. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. Right.

Yeah. And, you know, a lot of people know about Sierra Nevada- Sierra Nevada Journeys because we have a camp in the mountains, and it's the site of a lot of great programming that we do. So that camp in the mountains in the Sierra Nevada is one ang- or, you know, one aspect of our programming. We also have programming in the schools.

We're taking kids to local natural areas on the American River, different places around the community here, and we're trying to reach students where they are. If you c- if your school, uh, participates in a pro- an overnight program at our camp in the mountains, awesome. If not, we're gonna come to you, and we're gonna take you to these other spaces and teach you, again, this outdoor education, science literacy.

There's a lot of youth development, team building- Mm-hmm ... leadership that go into our programs as well. But those are the two main ways that we teach youth, through a classroom outreach program and then, of course, at our camp. 

Jeff Holden: And that's a perfect [00:12:00] segue because that really is what the next question is.

Tell me a little bit about the programs. What are the programs that you offer? Mm-hmm. And what do you find to be the most popular? 

Sean Hill: Mm. Mm. Yeah. Well, Corrie was recently a program director, so I'd love for Corrie- Yeah ... to talk about our Classrooms Unleashed program. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah, yeah. So similar to Sean, I have some, some origins with Sierra Nevada Journeys.

I've been with the organization for eight years, and most of that time was on the education team. So I started as an educator myself, an intern actually, while I was doing my environmental science degree. We have very similar- Perfect ... backgrounds here. And I wanted to get outside for my job, and so kind of got into it that way.

But, but yeah, and it led me to eventually be the program director here in Sacramento, overseeing our Our main program, Classrooms Unleashed, and so we're, we're going into classrooms, as Sean said, and we're- we've taught grades kinder through sixth with different standards-aligned curriculum, and we're taking them to [00:13:00] these different field sites that are right in their backyard, so along the American River Parkway, um, or at different nature preserves in the area.

And so, so yeah, it's... These programs are so critical to these schools, and we see such a high need. We have some really dedicated teachers who are really involved with us, and, you know, just word of mouth has spread about these programs, and they see the impact they have, and they're a little more accessible than, you know, sending kids two and a half hours away up to camp.

And so we've, we've had a wait list probably every school year for our Classrooms Unleashed program- Mm-hmm ... where the teachers love it, and they talk about it among their peer groups. And, and we're just... You know, we, we wanna keep engaging more and more students in Sacramento specifically, and so we're hoping to...

There's a lot of potential there, and we hope to expand more with that program in particular. 

Jeff Holden: A- and I love that it's not requiring a two-and-a-half-hour drive up- Mm-hmm. Yeah ... [00:14:00] you know, into the mountains because we do have nature here. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And we're blessed with this, this American River, you know, a confluence- Mm-hmm

of both the Sacramento- Mm-hmm ... and American Rivers. 

Corrie Calderon: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: And the trail, and it makes it easy to get into that parkway and, and take the kids in a, in a safe environment. 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: The fact that you're here also allows them to see the program from a different perspective. Mm-hmm. This is their backyard. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And again, we are...

You know, as we said, there's, there's kids who have never seen it here. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Literally two miles away. That's right. 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: They just, they just aren't exposed. 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And the fact that you can do that is, I think, so, so beneficial to those children to know that this exists, and it's an important part of life.

Corrie Calderon: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: You know? So as we, as we look at those programs- You mentioned the schools, so obviously there's involvement with the schools. 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Who are some of the other people that you collaborate with? 

Sean Hill: Hmm. Well, the schools are kind of first and foremost for Sierra Nevada Journeys. Yeah. We h- we work [00:15:00] with all the school districts in the Sacramento area, or most of the school districts in the Sacramento area.

Mm-hmm. And we typically have that relationship at the teacher level. So the teacher is the one that is getting the liability waivers signed- Yeah ... and is getting the buses taken care of. And so the teacher really needs to be bought in to providing this enrichment experience for their students. And so we've developed relationships with teachers at schools.

That's kind of our ground, uh, zero for relationship development, dozens of schools. 

Corrie Calderon: Hundreds. 

Sean Hill: Hundreds of schools. Yeah. In addition to the school relationships, our camp, and I mentioned, you're right, it is so great that we can reach students where they are two and a half miles from their backyard or whatever it is.

Mm-hmm. But our camp is in the, near the headwaters of the Feather River, which is the largest tributary of the Sacramento River. And so- Yeah ... when we do get students from this region up to our camp, we're teaching them about where their water comes from. [00:16:00] Mm-hmm. And we're teaching them about those critical mountain environments.

But up at that camp, we have a great partnership with the local district, uh, Twin Rivers Unified- Mm-hmm ... and they send all of their sixth grades up to our camp for an overnight outdoor education experience through the year, and that's a program that we have been nurturing for five or six years. We've been working with that district in all of their sixth grades.

In addition to the Twin Rivers program, there are community partners that come up to camp as well, folks like the Youth Development Network, United Cerebral Palsy, Improve Your Tomorrow. We've done programs with the California Endowment, a program called Camp Phoenix. So there's a lot of partnerships that have formed with folks utilizing that outdoor space up at the outdoor education camp.

Jeff Holden: And I appreciate you saying that, Sean, because You, you addressed a couple of different things. Yes, there's an underserved community that you're working with, you know, th- those kids in the environment that just don't get the exposure, but UCP [00:17:00] is, is children with, uh, disabilities. 

Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. And there's, there's another entire group of people who don't have the ability or the flexibility or the capability to get into the environment.

Sean Hill: It's another underserved population. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. Yes. And that, you know, one of our greatest partnerships, and this will give a little bit of insight into that program with UCP, is with the Sierra Health Foundation. Mm. The Sierra Health Foundation- Mm-hmm ... are the ones that actually built this camp in the mountains, and they built it originally so that it could be a space for groups that serve populations with disabilities.

Mm-hmm. And when Sierra Nevada Journeys took over management of that camp in partnership with the Sierra Health Foundation, we were committed to continuing to run those programs and offer those services and open up the camp to this outdoor education model for school districts as well. 

Jeff Holden: You know, it's amazing how many times that comes up.

Just the last episode we did with another organization here, Sierra Health [00:18:00] donated a building to them. Oh. 

Sean Hill: Oh, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And, and we've had Chet Hewitt in here, just, just phenomenal, and here they are coming up again- Yeah ... in a completely different situation where you think, "Sierra Health, what are they doing?"

It's about health. The environment- Yes ... is your health. 

Sean Hill: That's right. 

Jeff Holden: If you're not experiencing it, you can't be fully well-rounded- Mm-hmm ... fully healthy because it's air, it's, it's, it's nature, it's sounds. And as you were talking earlier, Cory, it's all the visceral elements. It's every sense- 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm ... 

Jeff Holden: you know, that comes into play.

Sean Hill: Physical activity- Yeah ... sunshine. Yes. I mean, there are real indicators of health and outcomes. And, and one area of study that has been really interesting that we've looked at is positive experiences and how a certain number of positive experiences can actually work to negate traumatic experiences within youth.

And so I agree with you, Jeff, and that's, I think, why Cory and I are drawn to this type of careers- Mm-hmm ... 'cause we recognize those- Yeah. Yeah ... [00:19:00] benefits of being in the outdoors. Oh, yeah. Yeah. We sought them for ourselves. Yeah. And so I love being able to, in many times, in many cases, introduce that to kiddos- Yes

that don't know that yet. 

Corrie Calderon: Totally. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Right? 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And, and just naturally you think about somebody who is- Upset. What are you gonna do? I'm, I need to go for a walk. Right. It, it says it right there. 

Sean Hill: That's right. 

Jeff Holden: You know? And- Get a breath of 

Corrie Calderon: fresh air ... 

Jeff Holden: exactly. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Just to, I just gotta get out and, and get my head cleared.

Yeah. Smell 

Sean Hill: the roses. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. Right? Yeah. Right? How about funding? How is the organization funded? 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. Yeah, and I, I... Thank you, Cory. I'll, I'll take this one, too. Yeah. I feel like I'm talking all- No, thank you. Please. I, I do, I do know this pretty well because it's g- it, you know, as CEO, it is, it is my, my daily.

And I will say that while I got into this field to spend time in the outdoors, it's, it's been harder and harder to spend time in the outdoors- ... the higher, you know, I've gotten into the organization. But that's a sacrifice that's well worth it. Our, our funding model, so we- Many nonprofits [00:20:00] rely wholly or almost wholly on fundraising.

We have the benefit of having an earned income model, which is program fees for programs that we're doing with schools, for our community partners, and our earned income is about 70% of our annual revenue. 

Jeff Holden: That's incredible. 

Sean Hill: Which is, it is incredible because it, that thir- the other 30% is fundraising. And- Mm

it's, it's, you know, it's kinda like biodiversity. You know, the, the more diverse your streams of funding are, the, the healthier your system is. Mm-hmm. And so of that 30% of fundraising, we've always been strong with foundations. We do see some- We've, we've had a, a few big government grants in our history, the California Natural Resources Agency, the City of Sacramento.

Oftentimes grants are fleeting as, you know, grant outcomes change. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: So we do see, we do see opportunity with corporate giving and with individual giving, especially given our mission. You know, I have friends that work for the Nature Conservancy, and I know about the Sierra Club, [00:21:00] and I know about those programs in particular, that, that a lot of their fundraising is individual giving because people give to what they see as legacy work.

Mm-hmm. Mm. And we definitely, Cory and I are in agreement, we definitely think that the work we are doing is legacy work. Mm-hmm. But anyway, that's kinda how, that's, you know, broad level how we're funded. 

Jeff Holden: I wanna ask you about something that's, that's relatively recent. A few acres. 

Sean Hill: Mm. Wow. You- 

Jeff Holden: And then that's gonna come into funding in some way, shape, or form, and legacy because- 

Sean Hill: Oh

Jeff Holden: they're in perp- perpetuity. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. Well, Sierra Nevada Journeys is, as we mentioned, almost 20 years old. We started out in the back of a climbing gym in Reno, Nevada when Jonathan, after he'd had that trip, uh, up at Lake Tahoe, and- The ocean. Right. The ocean that wasn't the 

Jeff Holden: ocean. The mountain ocean. 

Sean Hill: Right. Yes.

And in those early days we were doing, we were actually doing an overnight program at Camp Galilee, which is on the west, or [00:22:00] sorry, the east shore of Lake Tahoe. And then we entered into a partnership with the Sierra Health Foundation, and we took over management of the camp property, and that was circa around 2009.

And that's in Plumas County near the Feather River. And the Sierra Health Foundation owned a great big chunk of land up there, and they built this beautiful camp. Well, in about 2017, the Sierra Health Foundation let Sierra Nevada Journeys know that they were going to sell the property. And so we decided that it was in the community's best interest if we tried to maintain ownership and, and management of the property of the land of the camp.

The last thing we wanted to see is the, you know, the camp turn into a, a neighborhood or a golf course or something, which those things are great, but this, this is a special area that we wanted to preserve for generations. So Sierra Nevada Journeys raised enough money to purchase the camp property in 2020, and with it around 500 acres.

Now we closed in the middle of the pandemic. We closed that, that partnership [00:23:00] and, and with a ton of support from Sierra Health Foundation. And then about two years later, another thousand acres hit the market when Sierra Health decided to sell that property as well And Sierra Nevada Journeys over the last several years has been working with the Feather River Land Trust, another wonderful nonprofit organization, on a deal and an agreement whereby Sierra Nevada Journeys would inherit or acquire that 1,000 acres just next door to camp, and the Feather River Land Trust would be able to maintain a conservation easement on that property.

So it is perpetually conserved forests in our mountains, and it is now ... We just closed this deal in December, barely six months ago. It is now the site of future outdoor learning with Sierra Nevada Journeys. 

Jeff Holden: Isn't that awesome? 

Sean Hill: It's been- Mm-hmm ... incredible. 

Jeff Holden: And as you're talking, you're sharing more collaborative partners- 

Sean Hill: Right.

Yeah ... 

Jeff Holden: that just keep coming out. You know, they don't come top of mind instantly [00:24:00] because you think of the obvious ones. But i- in your space, look at, look at the connectivity you've gotten, the collaborative- Mm ... efforts that are there to support and engage those in the area. And that money came from, I'm imagining, predominantly donations and funders who say, "We wanna support this."

Sean Hill: The money for these types of projects, acquisition projects, typically in the state of California comes from some big agencies that you- we've all heard of- Mm ... including Cal Fire- Oh, 

Jeff Holden: even, even better ... 

Sean Hill: right? The Wildlife Conservation Board, Sierra Nevada Conservancy. These are all major state agencies that have contributed and invested in this amazing partnership and story.

Jeff Holden: Oh, not to mention they know you're gonna maintain it. 

Sean Hill: That's ... Yep. That's next 

Jeff Holden: up. The, the bit- ... the bit of the downside is- ... you have to take care of it. Yes. Here's 1,000 acres. Now take care of it. 

Sean Hill: Well, Sierra Nevada Journeys has definitely grown up in the last several years. We have taken on the management of the camp, which means we've, you know, inherited the, the costs, uh, associated with upkeep of over 20 buildings and the paved [00:25:00] roads and the trails, and we have a high ropes challenge course.

And this is a responsibility that we've taken on gladly and, and head-on with eyes wide open. Mm-hmm. And, um, but the, there is import here at this moment as we've acquired this next 1,000 acres to make sure we can truly set this organizational up for generational success. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So that's the next step on our plan.

Back to legacy. Mm-hmm. That's right. Yes. Yep. That's right. Yeah. The legacy of the protected forest- Yep ... the legacy of all the kids that we're serving and their futures that are being impacted, all of that. 

Jeff Holden: What's an annual budget look like for you? 

Sean Hill: Annual budget is around 5 million. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Substantial.

Sean Hill: Substantial. We have turned into a, a bit of an enterprise. Mm-hmm. We have our wonderful programs in Sacramento, a similar program happening in Reno. We have the camp. All told, we are now serving over 30,000 youth a year. 

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. Mm-hmm. 

Sean Hill: And, you know, in the, in the middle of winter, our staffing is about 20, 25 full-time staff.

Now, in the middle of summer, [00:26:00] where we find ourselves now, that balloons out to 90, 95 staff with, you know, housekeeping and kitchen at camp, all of our educators, our wonderful- Mm ... summer camp counselors. Mm-hmm. And so, yeah, it is ... It, it's turned into quite the, quite the enterprise. Mm. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah, that is. That ... A- it's amazing.

It ... Is Jonathan still with us? 

Sean Hill: Jonathan has moved to Colorado. I have him, uh, in my phone. Hey, wait. You 

Jeff Holden: come from Colorado. I came from Colorado. 

Sean Hill: He 

Jeff Holden: goes to 

Sean Hill: Colorado. That's right. Yeah. Way to, way to connect the dots there. That's true. I think that was coincidental, but Jonathan and I stay up to date. Yeah.

Jeff Holden: Good. He's gotta be amazed with what's happened. 

Sean Hill: Oh, he is. I mean, uh, it's unbelievable, and I know Jonathan's family well, and so I love to call them and give them updates because- Yeah Aw ... there's been so much change- Yeah ... you know, since they were here, and yeah. Great story. 

Jeff Holden: We'll continue with Shawn Hill and Corey Calderon of Sierra Nevada Journeys after we head inside for a brief break to hear from the people who make these conversations possible 

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Jeff Holden: If somebody comes around, I mean, you've already gotten this 1,500 acres in the course of the last couple of years, [00:30:00] and they go, "Sean, we have a check for you and, and it doesn't have a number.

Give us a reason to sign it off- Mm ... give it to you, an unlimited budget. What, what would you do? What would it look like? 

Sean Hill: Unlimited budget to me means that we are able to continue to serve youth that have historically not had the access to these experiences. So the first thing that comes to mind is our scholarship fund.

I wanna make sure our scholarship fund is healthy and stays healthy. Last year, you know, one proxy that we use for youth that are underserved are how many kiddos that we served are eligible for free or reduced lunch- Yes ... at their schools. Mm-hmm. And last year in 2025, 59% of the youth we served organization-wide were eligible for free or reduced lunch.

So I would like to see that number continue to tick up, and, uh, scholarship funding would allow us to do that. Now, there, there's a few other things. There's a few other dreams that we have, including doing some forest management [00:31:00] work around our camp and then building a, a, a cutting-edge program for youth to learn about that, about forest health and wildfire resilience and climate.

So that's a really exciting vision that I would love to see funded as well. And then there's other stuff, too, of course. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, I'm sure you could come up with a million ideas, 

Sean Hill: right? I have others. I have others. 

Corrie Calderon: There's a list. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: We have a list. 

Jeff Holden: Like some roads. I mean, you know, we can either pave or gravel this over here- Yeah

to get access to where it's difficult today. I, I can only imagine. Well- 

Corrie Calderon: I always wanted us to have a whole bus fleet, personally. There you go. 

Sean Hill: While we're making wishes, yes. Right? And Corey and I really align on this, too. You know, at the end of the day, our programs are what they are because of the wonderful staff- 

Corrie Calderon: Mm

Sean Hill: that we attract. Mm-hmm. And so- 

Corrie Calderon: Oh, yeah ... 

Sean Hill: I ultimately wanna make sure that we're able to take care of our staff as well. 

Mm-hmm. 

Sean Hill: And at camp, that might mean permanent staff housing. We wanna be livable at least, but competitive wages. Yes. We wanna have great benefits, all of those things. It's really part of the, of the picture of the, a successful organization.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, [00:32:00] and we certainly see that as the recognition and acceptance of nonprofits as businesses- 

Sean Hill: Yeah ... 

Jeff Holden: is- Yeah ... is becoming more and more prevalent, by necessity. Right. I, I mean- Yeah ... they, they should be. It's not a vow of poverty because you work for a nonprofit, and, you know, your skills and talent, training, education, all of that transfers both ways- Mm-hmm

whether it be nonprofit or commercial business. So- Yeah ... we have to be competitive. We have to see that people can do what they should be able to do competitively, whether nonprofit or not. And I, I can't stress that enough because so many times we hear, "No, we need to see 98%, 91%- Mm ... 95% of all the money going to the mission."

Corrie Calderon: No. 

Jeff Holden: No. Mm. That, that's not- We 

Corrie Calderon: have overhead. 

Jeff Holden: Right. And, and that is those unrestricted pieces of- Yeah ... contribution that require support. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And they're necessary, and if you don't get the best talent, then- you know, maybe it's not gonna be the best run organization. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And in [00:33:00] order to compete for the best talent, you have to be competitive, so- Yeah

you know, I, I appreciate that you say that because it is, it's so true. 

Sean Hill: Yeah, we're on the same page. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Back to reality of- Mm ... the dream now is today. What, what is the greatest need that you're faced with? 

Sean Hill: You know, I think Corrie mentioned it earlier, we have high demand in the Sacramento area for our Classrooms Unleashed program, and that is a program where we're al- directly interacting and serving, you know, our, our focus populations.

And so being able to sort of unlock that access for those schools, that- Yeah ... that's a day-to-day reality that we talk about. 

Corrie Calderon: I mean, yeah, if it would be... If there's a world where we could offer these programs free of charge- Mm-hmm ... that would be incredible. And if there's a world where we can eliminate any barriers to, like, accessing transportation.

We've had multiple schools this year cancel last minute because they realized that they couldn't [00:34:00] afford a bus. And so what I'm saying- Yeah ... we should get a bus fleet. I'm not joking. Right, right. Um, so yeah, just if we can, just eliminating any of those barriers so that we can get to more schools and more grade levels, and yeah, hopefully busing wouldn't be an issue in, in that.

Jeff Holden: A- and let me ask a question. If, if you know the answer, roughly what it might cost. What's a bus hold 50 some students? Uh, the typical bus you might see come up-ish. 50 

Sean Hill: to 60, yeah. 

Corrie Calderon: Okay. Two classes typically- Mm-hmm ... especially if they're little. 

Jeff Holden: Ri- right, right. Mm-hmm. And so from Sacramento to camp and back, what would a bus run?

Sean Hill: Well, a charter bus- Oof ... runs in the thousands- Yeah ... for that trip. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: And a school bus, I think it's probably a grand, 1,500. 

Corrie Calderon: It's, I think, 10 to $20 per student. 

Sean Hill: Okay. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. So yeah, there you go. Yeah. 600 to [00:35:00] 1,200- Right ... or something, yeah. And, you know, some districts have the ability, Twin Rivers certainly has the ability, and they earmark those buses for those programs.

Mm-hmm. And then, uh, some districts, particularly charters or smaller private districts, they have to use those charter buses, yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. But it gives us an idea. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. So somebody who's listening says, "Well, I, I, I can at least fund a school that needs a bus- 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm ... and take care of that so that that group of kids who have all the other pieces in place just need the transportation."

Mm-hmm. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: You know, there's an opportunity there as well. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And we'll talk a little bit more about how to get in touch with you guys to do that. Mm-hmm. Give me an example. I'm sure you both have seen situations of your impact. 

Corrie Calderon: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And I wanna relate it to, to a story- of a child in some way, shape, or form- Yeah

that, well, so-and-so or so, and I'm sure you've- Mm-hmm ... you have many [00:36:00] because you've seen enough of it- Oh, yeah ... you know, eight years and 17 years. 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Go ahead. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. Well, Cor- Corey, why don't you start? 

Corrie Calderon: Okay, yeah, yeah. I- I can 

Sean Hill: see you're enthralled ... we've 

Corrie Calderon: both got lots of 

Sean Hill: stories. Oh, I, 

Corrie Calderon: I get so excited about this question, and it's just why I've stuck with this work for so long.

And so I think about a child who may not thrive in the classroom, and this is a student who may not always get along with their peers. We talked about those four walls. They may not thrive within those four walls. And often when I was an educator, teachers would come up to me before a field trip and say, "You know, like, we are thinking about leaving so-and-so at the school.

We're just a little concerned about certain behaviors. We just wanted to warn you. So hopefully they do okay on the field trip today." And, you know, I always try to keep an open mind, like, "All right. I'll take on that challenge." Like, I'm excited to meet this student. So, you know, the students get to the field site.

Let's say this is a group of third graders we're talking about. We're at Riverbend [00:37:00] Park. They get off the bus. We're doing our opening circle. We're doing some icebreakers. And this, uh, challenging student is in my group, and they're really slow to, to open up, and maybe they're isolating themselves from the group.

Maybe they're saying things like, "Ugh, like, why do I have to be here? This is stupid. It's too hot. It's too cold." Whatever it is, they're complaining about being on this field trip. But, you know, I'm determined - Yep ... to get to know them and, you know, show them the beauty around them. And so we, we finish up our safety talk.

We get in our trail groups, and we head to the trail. We were among the, the oaks. We're near the river, and the students are starting to use those observation skills we talked about. They're pointing out the wildlife. Maybe we see some caterpillars among the pipe vine. Maybe we're seeing a bird's nest high up in the tree, and they're pointing all these things out, finding evidence of habitats.

This is our habitat ecology unit. And then this student that I was referring to earlier happens to see a [00:38:00] deer cross the path, and all the students get so excited, and they're... I told them we have to be quiet around the wildlife, so they're, they're, they're hushed, but they're excited and trying not to yell.

But, um, you can just see all of the students are lighting up, and this student in particular is like, "Miss Corey, did you see that? It jumped so high. How did it move so fast? I've never seen a deer before." And so I just kinda see this kid's demeanor change. And throughout the rest of the field trip, you know, they're becoming more curious.

They're the ones pointing out, "Oh, did you see that butterfly?" Or they're picking up the cool rocks and showing their friends. So then field trip goes on. We make our way down to the river. Everyone takes a break, takes a sip of water. We have our lunch, and the whole group is just so zen. And, you know, they're seeing the light glimmer on the water.

They're seeing the ducks across the way. And I can tell they're just kinda, they're being present and they're noticing the [00:39:00] beauty around them. And so we finish up lunch, and usually we have time for one more activity before we have to get back on the bus. And so one of my favorites is building tiny habitats.

So the students are supposed to design a model tiny habitat for a deer that includes everything they need to survive: food, water, shelter, space, and how they, the deer can deal with environmental change. And so they're given this challenge, and they work as peer groups. And the student actually joins one of their peer groups and, and helps create this really creative habitat that's built out of sticks and leaves and rocks.

And I always have the students present their habitat at the end. And the student I've been referring to is the one that wants to present and talk about all the cool features in their tiny habitat. Um, and so they present, and you can just tell they're so proud of their work, and they were able to share that with their peers.

So we finish up, we continue on, we start walking back to the buses, and my final [00:40:00] question for the students is always just a reflection question of what was your favorite part, any key takeaways. And at this point, the student is eager to be at the front of the line, wants to talk to me. And so I ask them, "What was your favorite part?"

And they just say, "Everything. This was the best field trip ever." 

Jeff Holden: The best day of my life. Yeah. 

Corrie Calderon: And it sounds so cliché, but, like, that student represents hundreds- Yes ... if not thousands of students who have had that experience, who have truly transformed over the course of just a three-hour-long field trip.

And so it's moments like that where I'm like Yeah, okay. Yeah. I'm, I'm in the right place. Made a difference today. This work is... Yes. This work is so meaningful, and, and we see it all the time. So that's what success looks like to me. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. I love that story because we have all, everybody that has led these trips- 

Corrie Calderon: Yeah

Sean Hill: we have all been [00:41:00] there where the teacher warns you about a kid. About that 

Jeff Holden: student. 

Sean Hill: And now- That 

Jeff Holden: would've been me. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. Right. And now I know when they warn me about that kid, oh, that's the kid that's gonna be transformed. Yeah. Yes. That's the kid that's gonna be the leader. Like, it without fail. 

Jeff Holden: Not to mention- Yeah

I'm gonna focus on that kid. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. I'm 

Jeff Holden: gonna make sure that 

Sean Hill: kid gets that. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. They have a great experience. And so I, to piggyback on a wonderful story, I had the opportunity to meet... People ask us, "Do you have long-term data? Do you have long-term data?" And we have great snapshot data. We do pre and post-assessment.

We evaluate our programs. We ask the teachers how it went. We have the students reflect written. And but the thing is, we, since we work with minors, it's very hard for us to track them over time. Once they leave our program- Mm ... we can't, you know, legally track them. And so what we've been doing is talking to former participants years down the road.

We've been around long enough now. And so I recently spoke with a young person, Veronica. Mm. And Veronica's [00:42:00] 26 now. She came to Sierra Nevada Journeys, our outdoor education camp, in 2010. This is early days of our camp program. Mm. Veronica was a fifth grader at the time. 26 right now. They've just re- received their Presidential Fall Fellowship at the University of Vermont.

It's one of fewer than five students awarded full funding for their PhD. And I asked Veronica what she remembered about camp. And I've been telling this story lately 'cause it's awesome. Aside from great memories of being outdoors, Veronica talked about the Oort report, and the Oort- The what? The, okay, so the Oort report.

So the Oort report is something, it's a camp tradition we do. When the kids are done eating, 'cause we feed the kids, right? They're there at overnight camp. We're feeding them in the lodge. When they're done eating at a meal, they all have to pile the food that they did not finish into one, onto one tray, and we weigh it, and that sh- demonstrates their food waste.

And so we're trying to build intention around taking only what you need and what you will finish. Mm-hmm. So Veronica remem- remembers [00:43:00] the Oort report. So Veronica mentioned that the ORT activity upon reflection provided an ear- early lesson on intentionality and privilege. Mm. And Veronica's focus of study today is food security and the social determinants of health.

So I'm not saying it's only because of that reason, of because of the ORT report, because of her camp experience, but it might've had something to do with it. Yeah. And her focus of study now is directly related to what sh- what Veronica told us was their best memory from c- or one of their memories from camp.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. 

Sean Hill: I know. It's amazing. 

Jeff Holden: A- and even beyond that, it gives those kids who maybe don't see themselves in a particular role the ability to see that, oh, you can make a living doing this? Yeah. I mean, maybe I, maybe I wanna do that when I grow up. Mm. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: You know, maybe, maybe I can do that.

Because if they don't see it, they'll never know that they have the opportunity to explore that as a career in some way, shape, or form, or even as a hobby. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And in any event, it's great. 

Corrie Calderon: [00:44:00] Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Right. And you think about the litany of global issues that our world is facing right now- Right ... many of which having to do with the environment, and so we really feel like it's the next generation.

We're trying to bend the arc of the next generation so that they're better prepared to handle those issues. 

Jeff Holden: Well, and you look at Veronica, 26 years old, what, 2010, that's amazing. 

Sean Hill: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: That's amazing. And, and you have to know that the impact, something happened there that was a trigger that stayed. Mm-hmm, 

Sean Hill: mm-hmm.

Jeff Holden: Yeah. You know, and it, it stuck with her now into what's gonna be a professional career- 

Sean Hill: Right ... 

Jeff Holden: in a place where we really need help. 

Sean Hill: In a 

Jeff Holden: place 

Sean Hill: where we need help. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. Yep. 

Sean Hill: That's- 

Jeff Holden: That's the 

Sean Hill: goal ... 

Jeff Holden: that's- That's the dream. Pretty darn neat. Yeah. Pretty darn neat. All right. This, this is gonna be for you, Sean.

As a, a CEO of an organization, a nonprofit that serves, you know, a variety of different constituents, yeah, uh, uh, and, and the funding nature of it all, and there's always pressure. And this is to give people a little bit more, although [00:45:00] I think we know pretty well just from your, your history, you know, what's, what's the personal life- 

Sean Hill: Hmm

Jeff Holden: of, of Sean like? So we go a little bit beyond- We go beyond the mission here, and these- Bring 

Sean Hill: it ... I'm gonna 

Jeff Holden: fire these at you. 

Sean Hill: Let's go. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah, let's have some fun. And, and some I triggered on purpose just for fun. All right. Beach, mountain, city, or road trip? 

Sean Hill: Mountain. 

Corrie Calderon: I knew you 

Jeff Holden: were gonna say that. Yeah. I know, I could- I, I had to give him that one.

We've got about five options- That's the way ... uh, right? Yeah. Okay. Go-to comfort food? 

Sean Hill: Okay. Steak and enchiladas. Let's, let's go. 

Jeff Holden: Okay, good. I'm glad you didn't say berries. I was, was gonna have a problem. Huckleberries. Right, right. Uh, favorite movie of all time? 

Sean Hill: Let's see. I'll go with Goonies. 

Jeff Holden: Really? 

Sean Hill: Yeah.

Goonies. 

Jeff Holden: Oh my gosh. From, 

Sean Hill: from my childhood. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah, okay. Yep, yep, yep. What's the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? 

Sean Hill: This is a humble brag, but I'll say it. It's that I ride centuries. So I cycle now- Yeah ... to stay in shape, and so I try to bag two or three centuries a year on my bicycle.

Jeff Holden: You're not alone. [00:46:00] 

Sean Hill: You're among us. Oh, nice. Another cyclist. Oh, we should go ride. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: I'm training for the Mammoth right now. You ever do the Mammoth? 

Jeff Holden: I've not done Mammoth. I've done, you know, Death Ride. 

Sean Hill: Oh, nice. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: I haven't done that one yet. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, it's a blast. 

Sean Hill: We gotta talk, Jack. Oh, 

Jeff Holden: wow. Yes, we do. What is your favorite way to reset after a long day?

Sean Hill: I think it's pretty simple. We, my wife and I, when we moved, we used to live here in Sacramento. Now we live in Reno. You know, Sierra Nevada Journeys is all over the place, but we moved to a place that's close to the river, and so again, you know, resetting, outdoor experiences, we try to do walks by the river as much as we can.

So it's- Mm-hmm ... simple, boring, but it works. 

Jeff Holden: Who's someone who shaped how you lead? 

Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: It's fun for staff too. They give- Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Well, you know, this is maybe approaches sad, but, uh, in a, in a way to get to the answer of that, my father was sort of in his final few weeks and months when I became the CEO of Sierra Nevada Journeys.

Mm. And he had never been a, like, [00:47:00] give you advice kinda guy. And I remember, and he was kind of in and out, you know, he, there was some dementia there, and so, but he always, you know, knew who I was and, and he asked me how it was going one of those days. And I said, "Well, Dad, I'm becoming CEO of Sierra Nevada Journeys."

And he gave me what was, like, the best advice he'd ever given me, and a- almost on his deathbed. He said, "If you have power, don't abuse power." That was his simple words of advice, and I just al- I'm like, wow, this was, this was poignant. This was meaningful. This was i- in a space where he was in and out of sort of consciousness.

Yeah. And so that was a, I, I attribute some great advice from my dad. Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: That's wonderful. 

Sean Hill: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. Yeah, thank you for sharing that. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: If you weren't doing this work, this one I wanna hear, if you weren't doing this work, what would you be doing? 

Sean Hill: Hmm. Probably traveling, hiking in the Alps. 

Oh, wait. 

Sean Hill: Oh, I got to see that recently-

and I'm hooked. [00:48:00] Uh, my fa- I just went on a- They do call 

Jeff Holden: the, you know, Sierras the Alps of California. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. I, I see it, and now I... It's funny, I have a Cham- Chamonix shirt now, a T-shirt that I got in Chamonix, and people are coming out of the woodwork telling me all about their trip to Chamonix. But yeah, I'd probably be hiking in the woods with my wife and my two kids.

That's what we'd be doing. Or going to the beach. We like to visit the beach. San Diego is a favorite for us, swim in the ocean. 

Jeff Holden: And then last question for you is, what's one thing you're excited about right now outside of work? 

Sean Hill: Well, I've been participating in a regional event called Art Town in Reno, Nevada.

Yeah. It's a month of art, of, of everything that's art. So there's, you know, theater, there's live music, there's a still, there's sculpture, there's all kinds of events every single day. And that my, my mom comes to visit us every year in July, so we can just do Art Town. And so we saw a bluegrass band last night.

We saw a gospel band a couple nights ago, and so I'm really doing a lot of Art Town stuff right now when [00:49:00] I'm not at work. 

Jeff Holden: Oh, very neat. Yeah. Uh, you, you just gave a, a plug for a little event that's happening in Reno. That's 

Sean Hill: right. 

Jeff Holden: That's right. And, and we're- You're welcome, Reno ... recording this at the, about the middle of July, so every year I would imagine this thing takes place middle of July in- That's right

Reno. That's right. Mm-hmm. Okay. 

Sean Hill: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: Good. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Now, if somebody's interested in supporting the organization, what's the best way to get in touch with you guys, learn more about what's happening? 

Sean Hill: Yeah, absolutely. The best way to do it is to go to our website, sierranevadajourneys.org. It'll pop on the screen.

Now, I have a place on the website that, this wasn't my idea, but I love it. Lisa, our marketing director, did it. You can click a button that says, "Have coffee with the CEO." That 

Jeff Holden: was my next question. 

Sean Hill: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: So yeah, you, you saw that on the sheet. 

Sean Hill: That's why. Well, I don't, I... Or you saw that on the website. I 

Jeff Holden: did see it 

Sean Hill: on 

Jeff Holden: the website.

Yeah. I think that's great. I love that. 

Sean Hill: I- every time somebody reaches out, I always go and have that cup of coffee. Yeah. It's absolutely... You never know where that's gonna lead. I did one, uh, earlier this summer, and the dad had reached out 'cause his daughter was signed up for a camp, and I went and had coffee with him.

And he brought his daughter- Oh ... and he [00:50:00] wanted me to do a mock interview for her. She's a teenager. Oh. It was, or a leadership camp. But anyway, you just never know where it's gonna lead, and I was happy to, uh, to help that, to be a part of that experience with that family. But yes, if you ever, if you, if you would like to touch base with me personally, I'd love to take you out for a cup of coffee.

Jeff Holden: Yeah, I think it's so important and impressive- When a leader of an organization actually engages, I mean really engages to that point, call me. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. You know? I'll, I'll have coffee with you. You know, whatever the situation is where that, that tactile engagement is there, it makes it so much more meaningful for everybody.

And that story gets told. Mm-hmm. "You're not gonna believe it, I reached out and, and the guy actually went to coffee with me." Yeah. Yeah. "And then I had a great conversation." 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: And that goes tenfold, you know, just into the environment. 

Sean Hill: Well, it, I am the chief cheerleader. I am the chief champion. I don't work with students as much anymore, but I realize that it is my job to make sure that I'm out there talking about our mission in the community.

So it's- Mm-hmm ... anytime. [00:51:00] Happy to do that. And you 

Jeff Holden: have long-term employees. I mean, Corey, eight years, which is- Mm-hmm ... 

Sean Hill: you know, 

Jeff Holden: it's amazing. Yeah. You, 17. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: And I would imagine you could tell the story of so and so, and so and so, and so and so, who we've all been here for- 

Corrie Calderon: Oh, we've got a few. 

Sean Hill: We do. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. I, I would imagine.

Sean Hill: Yep. We do. 

Jeff Holden: You know, it's, it, it's cultural. You've done a great job in- 

Sean Hill: Hmm ... 

Jeff Holden: putting that together. 

Sean Hill: Well, it's the- Mm-hmm ... staff and board and community that's been a part of it the whole time. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. 

Sean Hill: Yep. 

Jeff Holden: Well, we all know our environment is challenged, and it needs all the help it can get, and giving so many of our youth an opportunity to really experience nature in so many ways is not more...

It's more than just a, a nice practice. It's more than just an engagement. It's, it's necessary. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. We need people to understand what's happening so that there's somebody coming up to work to, lack of better description, repair it. 

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. 

Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: You know? We, I think we've damaged something, and if you're not aware of it, if you don't realize what the consequences are, it doesn't get done.

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Yeah. And, and that's what you [00:52:00] guys are doing. And, and your team, did you say 40? 

Sean Hill: Did you say- Uh, we're 25 to, to, to 95. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. 

Jeff Holden: Well, I, I split the middle. 

Sean Hill: Yes. Yeah. That's great. 

Jeff Holden: But, but for all the people that, that work with you and what you're doing for those youth in the awareness and the recognition, thank you, because it's so necessary, and we appreciate it.

Sean Hill: Mm-hmm. Wow. Thank you, Jeff. Yeah. So let's go make some- Good response 

Jeff Holden: Let's go make something better. 

Sean Hill: Yeah. Woo-hoo. Love it. 

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