Thursday, October 30, 2008

John Miller and "The Tent" -- South Pole, Antarctica






These absolutley remarkable photos come to us directly from South Pole, Antarctica from our school's pen pal John Miller, USAP. One of the US Antarctic Program team took these photos of John himself at his now famous tent.
This is the exact replica of the Amundsen-Scott tent -- this is the basis for our SVDP-ALC school writing contest. (See blog posts below.) Amundsen was the first human being to reach the South Pole; Scott and his crew came next.
Two photos are of John by the tent which he stayed in overnight and re-created history, re-enacting the expeditions of Amundsen and Scott. The other stunning photo is of John actually on the ice in Antarctica trying to navigate the field of Ice with an ice tool. (I'm not sure what it is called; I'll have to ask John later.)
Well, what can I say? These photos are absolutely stunning !!! Thanks , John, for the fantastic photos and the great educational experience you provided for our school !!!
John wrote to us some wonderful words in his last email which I will quote here as he prepares to leave The Ice and return home soon:
"I have seven more days and a wake up until my flight, given the weather holds out...
I know I will never forget this place and the 59 people I lived with for the past nine months. Along the way I had the distinct privilege of corresponding with students from my home in Nevada and students in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the AmeriCorps literacy project. I hope that my time here has inspired others to push the edge of the envelope and take chances in life by expanding their horizons to include the world as a whole...
Still, great sacrifice usually will accompany great accomplishment. All who travel these paths have to weigh one against the other, make their decision, and follow it through to the end. You just never know what lies beyond that fork in the road; as the poet, Robert Frost wrote, “two roads diverged in the middle of a wood, I took the one less traveled by”
Take care to choose your path carefully but don’t be afraid to take that road less traveled by."
Wow, what can I add to that! Beautifully said. Thanks again, John, for inspiring us at our St. Vincent de Paul-ALC school and our whole Literacy*AmeriCorps team here in New Orleans. GREAT WORK !!!
You have a standing invitation to visit us here in New Orleans anytime. Take care.
-- Adrian

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