The 2009 Hands-On Explorer Challenge Winners – National Geographic Kids Blogs

National Geographic Society

The winners of the 2009 Hands-On Explorer Challenge have been chosen! Visit kids.nationalgeographic.com to read excerpts from their essays and see their winning photos.

The expedition to Peru starts on May 23. Visit the blog to get updates from the Peru expedition team!

Comments

jazzybirdexplorer
April 30, 2009, 4:10 pm

Hey Everybody!!

Wow!!! You guys are all so lucky! Those were all fantastic essays! I’m so glad you all won, you all really sound like you deserve it! Your photos were wonderful as well!!!!! Have a great time!! Make sure you keep us all posted on your adventures!

Thanks NG Kids for providing the awesome opprotunity!

As for me, well i am really sad i can’t go, this was my last year! =( but dont worry Peru! I will visit you eventually! Everyone keep exploring! I hope you never lose your sense of adventure!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

♫Jayme♫

p.s. Cady – its soo cool to know that someone who loves birds is going! =)
shastasteph
April 30, 2009, 7:21 pm

Well, that concludes the 2009 HOEC contest! Congratulations to all the winners. As with jazzybirdexplorer, your essays and photos were fantastic! I didn’t win this year, but I will enter next year for sure! If I’m still in the age limit next, next year I will enter them too! I hope I still have two more years to enter. I wonder where Nat Geo will be going next? Keep exploring everyone!
CadyV
April 30, 2009, 8:16 pm

Thanks jazzybirdexplorer! I also congratulate everyone else who won.

Cady
luckstomper
April 30, 2009, 9:41 pm

Hey everyone!!!!!

I haven’t talked in like a billion years!
You guys definatly deserve this a ton! I read all of your excerpts and they were phenomenal! And the Lucy congrats on being from MASSACHUSETTS they are starting to finally starting to realize what great talent this state has. I too am from MA. And I didn’t win sadly . But maybe next year, I’ve been obsessively searching whether they have picked the spot for next year! No luck…………..yet! But I am sooooo determined to win this contest and the fact I just love it, I all ready am working on my essay for this year! Well it was nice posting again!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
P.S. Long time no speak JazzyBirdExplorer!
wycombestar
May 1, 2009, 10:34 am

It was hard to read those excerpts because they were all so much better than mine, but I can see why they were chosen! They were all really good!I liked the one about international food, because it was a really creative subject.
I’ll will definetley be tracking the blog as you all go to Peru!!!!!!
jazzybirdexplorer
May 1, 2009, 3:02 pm

Hi again!

It’s so nice everyone is talking…or typing rather…again!

hey, no one from New Hampshire has won yet =( Maybe next year!

Thanks for responding Cady! Your essay was amazing! I too wrote about birds but your essay was so descriptive and catchy! Mine was just…blah…but then again, thats why you won!

Hey I was first to comment this time!!! Hooray!

CONGRATS!
~JAYME
Kenna
May 1, 2009, 4:08 pm

Hi everyone, this is McKenna!

I am so excited to get to blog and meet not only Team Peru, but everyone who blogs here. I have seen many of your names in past blogs, and I am just awed by the passion and enthusiasm you all have for exploring and learning about the world.

I can’t believe there are only 23 days until the trip to Peru! It is getting harder and harder to sleep at night!

Again, I can’t wait to meet everybody. And I am really looking forward to talking to you all before and during (and after) the trip!

THANK YOU National Geographic for this amazing opportunity!

Kenna
Dewster
May 1, 2009, 4:48 pm

Hi everyone!!
I am new to this blog but am starting to use it now because I will be on it from this AWESOME trip!!! I am soooooooooo excited to hear from all of you before our trip to get to know each other. It’s going to be a life changing experience!!!!
It’s also going to be really neat to meet all of the staff who put together this trip and go to these incredible places as a hands on explorer!!! Once again THANK YOU SO MUCH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC for this up coming experience!!!

~Dewey
RedDay
May 1, 2009, 8:02 pm

Hey guys!

This is Rachel, one of the winners. I just wanted to say I am so physced about going to Peru and I wanted to thank you all for your support! I bet everybody had great essays and photos.

-Rachel
AuntTammy
May 1, 2009, 8:55 pm

Congratulations to all the winners but kind of especially to Ian B. from Washington because he’s my nephew. We’re so proud of him and can’t wait to hear about all the adventures in Peru.
luckstomper
May 2, 2009, 9:06 am

Hi guys it’s Luckstomper,

For all those people who won congrats. And its nice that some of you guys posted that won, like Cady, (Mc)Kenna, Dewey, and Rachel. I wanted to let you guys know your excerpts were breathtakingly good! I was like oh my god these kids essays were better than mine! And McKenna or Kenna (do prefer one?) how you wrote your essay with an original and unique twist about how Mother Nature has a voice too, just like humanity! Well I just wanted to let you guys know this. PEACE!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
llama
May 2, 2009, 9:17 am

CONGRATULATIONS,WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!! I was a finalist and I wanted to go so bad, but I didn’t win. I have four more years to try, and most of the essays were better than mine.So it’s not that bad. Anyways, I’m lucky to have been a finalist. I can’t
wait to se where they (hopefully we) go next year!
petunia8210
May 2, 2009, 1:33 pm

I am looking forward to following your trip. My family is planning one just like it.
shastasteph
May 3, 2009, 3:20 pm

It’s soooooo incredibly awesome that everyone is starting to come and blog again. It is especially great to see the winners and a finalist blog too! I am definitely going to keep entering for all the rest of the years I can! I really hope I win an HOEC contest! I would rather win this contest than win a whole bunch of other contest combined! Have fun on the trip winners!
afoswim12
May 3, 2009, 4:42 pm

hey it’s abbie! i went to australia last year and i’ll just tell you that you will make lifelong friendships with the kids…and the adults!! right on you lucky winners. you did it!
kassen15
May 3, 2009, 5:12 pm

Hey guys,
This is Nellie K., also one of the winners. I just wanted to say that I thought all of the other winners did an amazing job! I wonder where National Geographic will go next year?????
Nellie
GeekUsMaximus
May 4, 2009, 9:25 am

Hey,
this is Grace T. It’s so nice to be blogging again, the blog was closed for a while. Peru in 20 days!!!
wycombestar
May 4, 2009, 12:29 pm

Hey Kassen15/Nellie, I just realized that you one of us bloggers before anyone won! I think it’s really awesome that you won! I mean, what are the chances? There weren’t that many bloggers here in the first place.
-Emma
wycombestar
May 4, 2009, 12:32 pm

AHHHHH! sorry. I just realized that TWO of the other bloggers that were here before won! (Grace T. being the other one because I just said Nellie) That’s really awesome! Ok, if there’s any more, someone tell me before I have to post another comment…!
luckstomper
May 4, 2009, 6:19 pm

Hi everyone!!!

Like Stashasteph I can’t believe that two of the people who we were blogging with WON!!!! That’s totally WICKED!!!! Ya see before (way before) they announced the winners I said that some of us bloggers should win! And would you look at that two people! Nellie(Kassen15) and Grace T. (GeekUsMaximus)!!!!!!! Hey also this morning on NECN (New England Channel) on the bottom of the screen with the one line message that moves it said something like: A kid from western ME wins a national contest to Peru………..ahem sound like we know………it’s DEWEY!!!! Well I wanted to share that because that’s sooooo cool he technically was on TV!!! Well completely off topic but if you remember a while back i said I was in a competition play,…well the competition is this weekend!!!! But it might be canceled (which would be drastic) because of the SWINE FLU it was said that two kids in a private school in my town tested positive for it. Well bye for now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
kassen15
May 4, 2009, 6:53 pm

Hey!,
It is Nellie…..19 more days!!! I don’t know if I can make it! At my school, we are doing a zoo project where you get to make a zoo and I’m using all Peruvian animals! It will definately come in handy!
shastasteph
May 5, 2009, 6:56 pm

I am just super happy that you all won! You all clearly deserved to win. Your passion for exploring really showed in your essays. For those who didn’t win and are now too old, there will be other chances to win trips to different places. You can maybe save up for that high school trip too! For those of you who didn’t win but can still enter next year(s), maybe you’ll win next years! Like I said a LONG time before, be hopeful and your wishes will come true. Have a blast in Peru all you winners! I will for sure track your trip. Tell us how all about your experiences!
Abbie it’s great that you could come back to the blog and see the brand new winners! You just got some new people joining the HOEC Expedition Team! Keep blogging when you can!
Dewster
May 5, 2009, 7:17 pm

Hi Luckstomper it’s Dewey!
Was I really on the TV!!! Cool, I know that I was on the newspaper (Bangor Daily) but never knew I was actually on tv(headline), Can you remember anything else about it???? I talked to Ian yesterday through Skype which is a program that allows you to see and talk through webcams. We actually have a lot in common (we even have GUINEA PIGS!!!!) Anyway I will be blogging from now on so can’t wait to talk to you more!! It’s going to be sweet to see myself on video on this blog!!
Bye for now!
~Dewey
afoswim12
May 5, 2009, 8:04 pm

i remember it felt like it would never come…good times.
lovetheplanet
May 5, 2009, 9:04 pm

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!!! peru sounds awesome!! hope everyone that is going on the trip has an amazing time!!
Kenna
May 6, 2009, 11:36 am

Hi everyone,

Wow, only 17 days until the expedition!

Luckstomper, that was very sweet what you said about my essay. I am so excited because I get to feel Peru musically soon! I can’t wait to hear all of the different sounds of nature in South America – some of which I have most likely never heard before!

And hi, Abbie! Wow, this is so weird. I have read through all of last year’s blogs and watched all of the videos of Team Australia, and now I’m talking to one of Team Australia’s explorers as a Team Peru explorer! That is so crazy! I have to say that I love watching the videos of your trip. You all have a blast, huh?! And it looks like the kids from the Galapagos did, too.
Are there any videos or past blogs from Team South Africa’s expedition? I haven’t been able to find any anywhere. And I haven’t been able to find any blogs other than Team Australia’s. I would love to read about the other past trips, too.

I can’t wait to continue to blog and talk to you all before and throughout the entire trip.

Kenna
(By the way, I go by either McKenna or Kenna! )
wycombestar
May 6, 2009, 2:35 pm

McKenna, I loved your picture.
I used to play guitar. But I failed. My fingers are not good at stretching. I play cello though! I love it!
-Emma
Oma Bear
May 6, 2009, 2:59 pm

Congratulations to all you Super Kid. Your essays and comments are wonderful to read. My class of third graders and others at our elementary school will be following your trip on line. I’d especially like to congratulate Ian from Washington state because he’s my wonderful gradson. We are all so proud of you Ian.
GeekUsMaximus
May 6, 2009, 8:45 pm

Hello everyone,
Sorry I couldn’t write long last time, I ran out of time. I would have loved to write more. Wow does time fly fast, it wasn’t that long ago we were all on this blog waiting for them to close the deadline! And the long stretch were we blogged multiple times a day waiting to find out who won. This is so wierd, all this time I have been blogging with you Nellie and now we will be exploring Peru together! Yay 16 days!!!! Thank you so much National Geographic, this is going to be an adventure of a lifetime!
Grace T
luckstomper
May 6, 2009, 10:07 pm

Hi everyone Luckstomper here,

Thanx Dewey and McKenna for responded to me! And Dewey I can’t recall anything else that I can remember. I tried looking it up on NECN (the channel it was on) and I couldn’t find anything. But I swear I did see something.

And oh my god like just a few moments ago my cat just puked on my bedrooms carpet. It was her current dinner she just ate, I wont get into the more yicky details but it was pretty nasty. And for this very moment I had wished she wasn’t my cat! Because my mom made me clean it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And to make it worse times two, this was just after my shower AND it smelled really really really bad so got out the air freshner!!! Well that’s all for now Peace My Peeps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
P.S. I’m going to have to take a look at that Skype thing because I had a web cam!
RedDay
May 6, 2009, 11:08 pm

Hey!
Im glad everyone is keeping up with blogging. When I was reading all the comments, I thought, wouldnt it be cool to have a competition between the teams?(i.e. Team Peru v.s. Team Austrailia) I think it would be a blast! I wish everyone could have won the trip!

-Rachel
wycombestar
May 7, 2009, 9:39 am

I really needed to know about your cat puking, luckstomper…. wow. ew.
tigergirl13
May 7, 2009, 11:29 am

Tigerrrrrrrrrrrrgirl13 in,

I have been SO buisy with acting class I could not wright! I Am starting today with my essay for HOEC!
Mustangs Rock!
May 7, 2009, 1:23 pm

Congratulations to all the winners and especially to my neice McKenna from Tennessee!
My fifth grade class in Louisville, KY will be tracking your trip and learning so much from all of you about Peru. We will be exploring about Peru from our classroom while you will be doing the real thing! We have two students whose parents are from Peru and they have a lot to share with us too. We can’t wait to hear about all of your adventures!
God Bless!
Mrs. Tucker
jazzybirdexplorer
May 7, 2009, 9:13 pm

Wow guys! 16 days! I am so excited for you!!!!!

Do you guys remember how I talked about exploring instruments and how i was playing the bassoon? well i got it tuesday! (its the schools, we can’t afford a new bassoon!!) and i was thinking about all of you and how when i found out about it i was blogging with you guys! now every time i play it, you all will be thought of =)

Im am so happy some bloggers won!

well, i’ve got to go!

BYE!
=D
Jayme!
luckstomper
May 7, 2009, 9:53 pm

Hi everyone Luckstomper here!

Hey Tigergirl13, I feel your pain because today I did preformances of my play to the student body of my school! And tomorrow I have to preform it for the public, and then to top it all of on Saturday my school is hosting state competition for middle school level. Yet I still blog but its like at nine thirty, oh well. And guess what. My towns high school got named one of the best acting high school in the NATION!!!!! And out of like 3000 high schools in the country only 117 of them get to preform at Scotland! And my towns high school gets to preform there! How wickedly awesome is that?

And I like your idea Rachel how the two expedition teams should compete. Maybe they’ll do it maybe not. And another thing Tigergirl13 I too am working on my essay now too! But first in order to do it I have to do a major MAJOR project for it. I’m not going to tell because I want mine to an original unique idea unlike anyone else’s.

I cant believe that the trip is literally right around the corner! Only 15 days left WOW!!!! I sure wish I could be on this trip with you guys!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
shastasteph
May 7, 2009, 11:53 pm

Only a few more weeks until the lucky winners depart for an AMAZING time in Peru! Can someone please say ‘hi’ to someone in Peru for me? I know, my request is kind of weird, but that’s my wish for you people to do in Peru.
I wonder where the next HOEC contest will be! I can’t wait to find out. I’m not sure if I should start now, or when the contest is announced. I also don’t know what to talk about. There’s all these cool places in the world! Maybe I’ll just write whatever comes to mind and see what happens.
Good luck to those already starting their essay. Have fun in Peru you lucky 15!
Kenna
May 8, 2009, 9:45 am

Hi Aunt Debbie and Aunt Debbie’s class!

I am so excited that you all will be virtually traveling with us on our adventures as we journey to South America. I hope you all learn tons along with us as we explore and learn all about the countless wonders of Peru. I can’t wait to talk to you all through this blog before and during the expedition. I am so excited to be able to share our adventures with you. And I am so excited that you get to be explorers of Team Peru as well!

Keep exploring the world around you, Aunt Debbie’s Class! You never know where your own explorations just might take you — even to the “Lost City of the Incas!”
McKenna
shastasteph
May 8, 2009, 8:37 pm

Only about a week until the Peru trip! I hope everyone has fun! Keep blogging even when it’s after the trip.
Luckstomper, good luck with your Major project. Just remember to let the words flow from your brain and don’t get too stressed out.
I still don’t know what I should write about or if I should start writing my essay now. Hmmmm….. What does everyone else think I should do? Should I start now, or later? Could you help a sister explorer out? Thanks!
luckstomper
May 8, 2009, 10:27 pm

Hi guys!!!!

I literally just got back from my public performance of my sad play on WW2. And you know what is really freaky….it’s that in the sequal to my play that the high school did and they said the date in which WW2 ended…..it was May 8, 1945! And what is the date today???????? It’s MAY 8th!!!!!! So 64 years ago on this very date WW2 ended!

Only 14 days to go! How exciting! Like Stashasteph can you please tell someone Jonathan said hi? That would be soooo cool if when and if you say it it got put in one of those video diary thing.

Well PEACE MY PEEPS (at 10:30pm)

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
I am Ian
May 8, 2009, 11:24 pm

Hi this is Ian, one of the winners. I just wanted to say that all the people that entered are awesome!!! I’m sorry everyone can’t go. I will make sure to blog a lot on the trip and hope you can see it. I can’t wait to meet all the explorers in person. Only fifteen days to go! We’re supposed to get our cameras next week. That’s so cool!! Talk to you later!

-Ian
luckstomper
May 10, 2009, 12:50 pm

Hi everyone!

So only what 12 DAYS left……that’s less than two weeks away! Oh ya for those who have been watching the Amazing Race the finale is tonight at 8:00pm on CBS (the same channel as SURVIVOR is on)! And lastly I had this great idea. In school we had to do a facts sheet on anything (and this was in like January) and I picked PERU. So since we haven’t done anything with the facts yet I thought since no one really knows much about Peru I thought I would say one of my True or False questions each day. I’ll start today!

FACT OR FICTION: The origin of all the worlds farmed potatoes have been traced back to PERU?
-come back Tuesday to find out the answer and new fact!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
afoswim12
May 10, 2009, 2:30 pm

Abbie here!

I’m so excited for you! I remember Australia like it was yesterday. Everything is so vivid in my head, that I can still smell the Eucalyptis trees.

Abbie
wycombestar
May 11, 2009, 12:54 pm

To luckstomper, about your true or false question, I think that’s false. I thought potatoes were from Ireland.
Wow, there’s only 11 days left till the trip. I know I shouldn’t be counting down since I’m not going, but I really can’t wait to see the videos and pictures and stuff! I won’t be able to see them in the begining though, because I’m going camping on May 22nd.
Emma
shastasteph
May 11, 2009, 6:50 pm

Hey everyone! I haven’t blogged in a while! Only a few more days until the lucky 15 depart for cultural Peru! I’m sure you’ll all have a blast! Keep blogging! Some of you haven’t come to blog in a long time, but I don’t know if you’re packing for you trip. I can’t wait to see the videos. And like Luckstomper said, it would be cool to see one of you say hi to a Peruvian for us.
Abbie, it’s great to hear from you again! I’m so happy that you have more time to blog now since school is ending soon. Do you have a lot of Eucalyptus trees in your state? In my state of California, we have a lot. Unfortunately, they’re considered invasive in the US.
Luckstomper, regarding your fact/fiction question, I think it is a fact. I really do think potatoes come from Peru, or at least from South America. Also, do you watch Survivor too? I love that show! Who do you want to win? I’m not really sure who I want to win, but I kind of want Taj or Debbie to win. I can’t believe there’s only a few more episodes until the season is over!
I’m definitely entering this year’s contest, and I’m also going to enter next year’s contest if I’m still within the age limit/requirement. Has anyone found any information about where the next HOEC contest is going to be? I still need help deciding whether or not I should start my essay. If you have a thought, please let me know. Have a great day! Peru is soon!
luckstomper
May 11, 2009, 7:34 pm

Hi everyone,

So not much to say this time I’m just saying the answer to the question. Well here it is!…………………………..

It was TRUE! Researchers have recently traced back all the worlds farmed potatoes to Peru! How cool is that?

FACT or FICTION: In Peru you can find 1327 species of birds

-come back tomorrow to find out the new fact and the answer today!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
BrookieCookie_7097
May 11, 2009, 7:49 pm

Hi McKenna,
you are so lucky that you get to go with national geographic kids on a trip to Peru you must be so excited i wrote an essay on bird but i guess it was not good enough. you must tell me everything about your trip!

Brooke
(bird watcher extraordinaire)
Dewster
May 12, 2009, 6:33 am

Hi Abbie,

Were you really really happy when you won the contest last year!!! I am soooooo excited to go!!! With the trip, how much do you do a day? Do the NG people pack in a LOT in one day or is it balanced out? Also how did the cameras work out!! They look AWESOME!!! Do the NG staff use any of your pictures for anything???? It is really cool that you are blogging and talking with us!!!! I can’t wait till I am on the video on this site!!
Talk to everyone soon!!!
~Dewey
P.S do they put video on every day your on the trip, or do the NG staff put it on when you get back?
Thanks
wycombestar
May 12, 2009, 11:31 am

Luckstomper, I can’t answer your true or false question because, heh heh, I looked it up. So I know the answer but I won’t ruin it.

I hope more of the winners come to blog on this site soon.
Emma
shastasteph
May 12, 2009, 7:13 pm

Ya-hoo! LOL! I feel all excited! At this awards ceremony at my school, I’m getting seven awards! The awards ceremony is tonight. The awards I’m getting are for various things. I can list them if you want me to, but I don’t want to list them yet so you don’t think I’m bragging (cause I’m not).
Luckstomper, for your question I think the answer is false. Even though part of the rainforest is in Peru, I just don’t think there are that many birds there.
Only a few more days everyone! If you are excited about the trip, SHOUT TO THE SKY (AND ON THIS BLOG IF YOU WANT TOO)!!!
luckstomper
May 12, 2009, 7:48 pm

Well back here again!

As the usual I’m just saying the answer and the new fact!
The answer issssssssssss……….

FALSE! You can actually find 1701 species of birds in Peru!

FACT or FICTION: Peru is first in the world with number of primates?

Also only 11 more days!!!! Lucky lucky ducks!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
luckstomper
May 12, 2009, 8:55 pm

Hey everyone!

To answer your question Stashasteph I do watch Survivor. I kinda do want Taj to win too. But I’m kinda leaning towards JT. And what do you think of Coach I personally think he is a total nut case! I mean really do you think he really got captured be natives on the Amazon? I really want him to get voted off! I thought he was going to be voted out last week but was shocked when DEBBIE got voted off!!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
RedDay
May 12, 2009, 10:34 pm

Hola!
Luckstomper, you watch the Amazing Race? Thats my fave show! What a small world we live in . Oh and in case the rest of you didnt know, the winners will have a blog online for you all to read and stuff. Just thought you would want to know!!!

10 days, so pumped!
-Rachel
afoswim12
May 12, 2009, 11:18 pm

Wow Dewey I can tell you are really excited; but whey wouldn’t you be? You’re going to Peru in 10 days! Yes I was SUPERRRR excited when I won the trip. I was screaming for hours. Each day we did two things, except when we went to the Great Barrier Reef, that took almost the whole day. My camera was the best thing since sliced bread my friend! I couldn’t stop playing with it until the trip. We each blogged in small groups on each day. I’m excited for your blogs!

Abbie
BrookieCookie_7097
May 13, 2009, 4:23 pm

i really want to read the blogs when they go on the trip i bet it will be awesome
kassen15
May 13, 2009, 6:19 pm

Hey,
It’s Nellie, and I CANNOT WAIT!!! I rercieved my itenorrary(?) yesterday and it looks rerally exciting.
Nellie
shastasteph
May 14, 2009, 12:36 am

Only like 10 days left before the Peru trip! I can’t wait to see the videos of the expedition!

Luckstomper, as for your question I think the answer is false. I personally think Brazil has the most primates. So far I’m two for two with your questions, so I hope to get this one right too! In Survivor, I was TOTALLY shocked when Debbie got voted out! It seemed like she was going to be at least in the top four! I REALLY thought Coach was going to be out. He’s been such a crazy person and has caused a lot of arguments within the camp. Also, when he says his reputation and honesty is the most important thing to him, I kind of think he’s partially lying. What about you? Do you think that’s true? I want JT to win as my other choice too. He’s really worked hard to get this far in the game. He deserves to win. I hope Taj and JT make the last three for sure. I want Stephen to be in the top three two if is was between him and Coach. I just don’t like Coach. I also think the fact about him being captured by natives in the Amazon is false. I wonder how he might have possibly came up with that story.

Abbie! Did you swim in the great barrier reef the whole day? Or did you also take that glass-bottom boat trip that day too? I hope I win the HOEC contest someday! It would be amazing to win it!
afoswim12
May 14, 2009, 7:23 pm

well, we actually ate breakfast at this bird sanctuary, and then we went to the Great Barrier Reef for the rest of the day. The glass bottom boat was part of the day at the reef; but to be honest, i didn’t go on the boat. we were snorkeling before the glass bottom boat ride, but i found these green sea turtles, and i was so mesmerized by them that i didn’t notice that everyone went back to the main boat, to get on the glass bottom boat. they were all rubbing it in my face that they saw green sea turtles, but i was like “i swam with them suckas!” good times good times.
luckstomper
May 14, 2009, 7:54 pm

Hi everyone!

Luckstomper here. Today at school we had the Olympics for team 2. In sixth grade we have seven teachers 3 on team 1 and 4 on team 2. So there are five “citystates” in our class, I’m in Athens and and there are 5 people in each group. So there are 5 evens 1 for each person in out group. They were shot put, pencil javelin, 50 yard dash, long jump, and frisbee discus throw. I did the 50 yard dash. We did it three times. I won each time! I don’t want to brag.

Well now on to the fact. Well the answer is…………
FALSE. Peru is second in the world with 34 types of primates.
O.K. the next one on my list is kind of easy, so I’m doing two this time.

FACT or FICTION: The Nazca Lines are underground tunnels made by the ancient people who lived there?

FACT or FICTION: Peru was the homeland of the Inca Empire until 1433 when it was taken over by Spanish conquistador Fransisco Pizarro?

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
P.S. Stashasteph you’re 3 for 3 will you continue it????
wycombestar
May 14, 2009, 9:49 pm

Today I stepped on a nail when I was in the woods. It went through my shoe. It hurt. And bled a ton. Woe is me.
Sorry. I needed to share my infliction with you all. OH THE DANGERS OF THE FORREST….
Again, sorry. I am just feeling super weird tonight.
Can’t wait till I see the videos!!!! )) (heh heh, double chin person…)
-Emma…. who may need to go to the insane asylum…
Flame's Ash
May 14, 2009, 9:50 pm

Hey everybody! It’s Ash here (AKA Kenna’s BFF). So… yeah. Just commenting. ^^ You guys are so lucky!!!! I wish I could’ve entered…

-Flame’s Ash
Kenna
May 15, 2009, 2:09 pm

Hi everyone,

So sorry that I have not blogged in a little while. We have been busy bees getting ready for the expedition! But I will be blogging ever day up to the day we leave!
Only 6 days until the trip! Time sure is flying by!

First of all I want to say, thank you so much, Brooke! There are no words for how excited and thankful I am.
I really want to encourage you to never give up! If you have more years to enter the Hands On Explorer Contest, go for it! And if not, keep your eyes open for more opportunities. Opportunities abound!
And I will most definitely be taking gazillions of pictures and will be writing down every single detail of the expedition in my journal, and will be sure to include as much as I can in the blog! I think it is wonderful that we have the opportunity to share this experience with all of you through the blog.

And oh my gosh, Emma! Are you okay?! Feel better soon…and wear hiking boots next time!

Well, so far I have not really introduced myself, so I thought that I might as well now before the expedition to Peru.
I am an 8th grade student of a virtual international academy. I literally have classmates from around the globe, which is really neat because that gives me an amazing opportunity to explore other cultures on a daily basis.
I play guitar, sing, perform, and am learning mandolin and banjo (and hopefully other instruments as well!). I absolutely love music!

I am the Financial Columnist and Photo Journalist for my school’s student newspaper. Writing is a HUGE passion of mine, and being a writer for the newspaper has really opened doors for me and inspired me to follow my dream of writing. (Which, by the way, I want to give a shout-out to the other staff members (and my friends) in the newspaper!)

I have a strong and growing interest in money and finances, entrepreneurship, and business.

I can’t wait for the expedition and can’t wait to virtually share the experience with all of you.

Oh, and I had an idea. Team Peru has been talking and getting to know each other before the trip, and have been asking each other questions. So, I thought I would ask everyone questions publicly on the blog!
1.) What is your favorite way you explore your world?
2.) What is the most exciting thing you have discovered through your explorations?
3.) If you could travel and explore anywhere in the world, where would that be?

McKenna

P.S. Hey Soul Sister, Ash! Can’t wait to talk to you via blog during the expedition! I’ll be sending you my millions of pictures of Peru!
Kenna
May 15, 2009, 2:13 pm

And wow, Luckstomper! That is GREAT! Congratulations!
And I have to say I love your fun-facts. I don’t know the answers to them, but I sure am learning!

McKenna
luckstomper
May 15, 2009, 4:11 pm

Hi everyone!

Luckstomper reporting in! Well I just wanna say wow Kenna! That blog was reallllllllllly long, and do you get to interact with the people around the world through like webcams and stuff? I go to public school so I wouldn’t really know. And now for the answers and the new fact………
The answer is…………

FALSE! The Nazca Lines are giant lines that can only be seen from air.

FALSE! It was actually 1533 not 1433 when Fransisco Pizarro conquered the Incas!

And the new fact……

FACT or FICTION: Peruvians enjoy playing tennis, surfing, beach volleyball, and sailing ?

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
BrookieCookie_7097
May 15, 2009, 4:19 pm

Hi,
Thanks McKenna for your shout out i live in Michigan and hoping to move to Tennessee and at my school there are a ton of international people there! Oh and luckstomper I just want to say I am officially taking over your job and making my own questions for trivia! Okay here is the first one…….
-Peruvian territory was home to the __________________, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America?

Oh i just get to bored if i am not outside most of the day exploring. I love to hike oh and to wycombestar i have got a nail through my shoe i have felt your pain:(

luckstomper i know you like to do the whole trivia thing but i am pretty sure you do not know this one cause it is really hard.

Brooke

P.S. I will reveal the answer tomorrow in the morning
wycombestar
May 15, 2009, 4:52 pm

The answers to McKenna’s questions:
1: My favorite way to explore the world would be to travel… which I don’t get to do very often, the only interesting place I’ve gone is Puerto Rico. But since I can’t really do that, I just explore in my own woods. Which sounds kind of boring but actually is not.
2:I’ve discovered lots of exciting things, such as deer bones, glass bottles and fossils, and that it is much more fun outside on a rainy day than inside. (incase anyone feels like experimenting, eat a popsicle in the rain. It’s a very enlightening experience.)
3:I always have an obsession with some country or another, currently it’s India. That is where I would love to go. My mom says it’s very impoverished and that you can get diseases there, but I still want to explore it!
And McKenna, how exactly does a virtual academy work?
I’m homeschooled. Which is kind of unrealated with anything here except since we were talking about school I thought I should mention mine’s at home!
Luckstomper… I have no idea what Peruvians enjoy.I am going to skip that question… heh heh.
And to Brooke, I have no idea the answer to yours either! I am sorry I am being a party pooper today.
This is super long.
FAREWELL!
Emma
kassen15
May 15, 2009, 8:31 pm

wycombestar,
What’s weird is, my sister stepped on a nail that SAME TUESDAY!! (The 12th.) Sorry….. for lack of better frase….THE IRONY!!! I recieved my camera yesterday but I live in the country and I didn’t have a memory card that size so…..
Luckstomper,
We had our feild day (record breakers) yesterday and I was wondering what your time was in the 50 yrd. dash? I “competed” in that too. I also did high jump, 100 yrd. dash, shot put, 440 run and the 800 run.
Today was the last day of school!!!! I have to start taking these GIANT HORSE-SIZED anti-malaria pills tomorrow so………
Keep on bloggin’,
Nellie
jazzybirdexplorer
May 15, 2009, 10:07 pm

OH MY GOSH! 8 MORE DAYS! AHH! IM SOOO HAPPY FOR YOU GUYS! you’re so lucky! look for all the birds and tell me your favorite!!!!

don’t take anything for granted and have a wonderful time!

I wonder where the NatGeo team will choose next year for a trip…and if they’ll be one for older kids! I’ve never travelled outside the timezone (EST) and I want to be a photojournalist or zoologist OR ornithologist…can’t decide! lol. What about you guys?

HAVE FUN! YAY! =D

~Jayme!!!!!
cowgirlexplorer
May 15, 2009, 11:16 pm

Hello, fellow explorers nd loversof nature!
I am new to this whole blogging thing. Ive been following s blog for months and have been yearning to blog. I just got the Ok from my father.
Mckenna, I absolutly loved your essay. I though it was beautiful. Like you, I too enjoy music and writing. I have already written 7 possible stories for next ears contest. To answer your questions: I like to explore this world by using all five senses, the most exciting thing I have discovered is a purple and yellow tree, and if I could go anywhere it would be Australia!
BrookieCookie_7097
May 16, 2009, 11:31 am

the answer to the question was…………………………………………………………….
NORTE CHICO CIVILIZATION

come back later for a new question

Brooke

P.S. luckstomper that means YOU!
BrookieCookie_7097
May 16, 2009, 11:38 am

I want to know where they are going next.I hope they go to Asia. I wonder what they do there.

QUESTION

Has anyone been to Asia in their life.
Write back soon

Kara
P.s.little sister by 1 year
luckstomper
May 16, 2009, 4:05 pm

Hi everyone!

Ha! Ya right Brookie Cookie_7097, you are most certainly not taking over my job. You can say what you wish. But will always be the “official” for giving trivia questions. But I will make a deal with you though. Here it is, I will be the Official trivia person, but you can still post your questions as long they’re not true or false. And I can’t do your fill in questions. DEAL??? Oh ya I know the answer to your trivia question, and I swear I didn’t look it up online, so here is the answer or I least think it’s right though I’m pretty sure it’s right. The answer is………Norte Chico civilization. Am I right? And now to my own trivia question. The answer is………………

TRUE! you wouldn’t expect volleyball, surfing, and sailing in a country like this but it can have good water and can get warm just like California!

Now for the new question……..

FACT or FICTION: In west Peru there are some desert lands?

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)

P.S. The finale of Survivor is tomorrow…Sunday
Elby
May 16, 2009, 7:02 pm

Hi all, this is Laura Beth!
Exactly a week from today I will be somewhere between Los Angeles and Peru! School ended yesterday for me so I have absolutely nothing else to think about. I also CAN NOT stop playing with the camera! (Ah, yes. Modern technology, they make it easy enough so even I can understand it, haha…)
This is my first time writing on this site, but I will definately be writing in the future! Adios
Kenna
May 17, 2009, 12:46 am

Hi everyone,

Phew! It is almost midnight here, and I feel like Cinderella! I promised I would blog every day from now on until the trip, and so I can’t miss today!

I’ve been wanting to blog today, but have been working on a school project. (I’m doing a presentation about Peru for my classmates before we leave for South America!)

I will blog more tomorrow, but I want to get this in before the clock strikes 12! (Although I’ll be sure to keep my “glass slipper” on my foot!)

Talk to you all tomorrow! ¡Buenas noches!
Kenna
BrookieCookie_7097
May 17, 2009, 8:52 am

Hi,

Luckstomper, you sooooooo looked it up on the internet but of course my questions will be better. okay for my next question that i will post today will be a lot easier than yours but yes a lot harder.

what year was the earliest evidence of human presence in Peruvian territory?

A) 2,000 B.C.E.
B) 8,000 B.C.E.
C) 11,000 B.C.E.
D) 22,000 B.C.E

come back tomorrow for the answer

Especially you LUCKSTOMPER!
Muuh hahahahaha

sorry for the evil laugh

Brooke,

(p.s. I swear i know this question from the bottom of my heart luckstomper the answer to your question is TRUE……………… now i will be waiting for my prize
luckstomper
May 17, 2009, 4:48 pm

Hi everyone! Luckstomper here, so Brookie Cookie looks like I got your question right! Looks like your were. And to answer your questions Kenna: 1.)My favorite way to explore my world is to be one with the world, try to keep equal librium among nature, and us. Also I am a believer in KARMA so I help nature in every way possible! Plus I don’t just go out in the woods and purposely get lost(that’s what I do sometimes! LOL) I research places that I cant go! Like wycombestar I too have an obsession with a country for a long period of time. Currently it’s Peru (ha figure that!) my last one was Belize, and who knows where it’ll be next?! 2.)Hmmmmmmmmmmmm,……that’s a tough one. What was probably the most interesting thing that I’ve found is probably is a fox den it my front yard with actual foxes in it. 3.) And if I could go anywhere in the world it would probably be the Mediterranean Sea countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Egypt! I just think those countries are so awesome because it’s basically were out world started. And yes I know that the hominids came out of the area of Tanzania but the Mediterranean is where we started to plant the foundations of what we are now.
Oh wait! I have to give you the answer and the new fact! Ok here is the answer…………………….. TRUE! There are deserts in western Peru, the Nazca Lines were made in them! FACT or FICTION: Peru doesn’t have to deal with natural disasters such as tsunamis, flooding, and volcanic activity Come back Tuesday to find out the answer!

~~~~JON~~~~ (luckstomper)
greeniLte4v
May 17, 2009, 11:24 pm

Hi, I’m new to this blogging thing too. I can’t wait until the HOEC team goes to Peru. It will be awesome to see everything they’ll do. Kenna, what do u do at a virtual academy? And the answer to your questions are:
1.) I love hiking. There are so many things you can discover when you go hiking, and you can be surrounded by nature at the same time.
2.) I’ve discovered a small, narrow river hidden behind tons of tall grass. The view is amazing and it’s a great place to get connected with the outdoors.
3.) Costa Rica sounds really cool! There are rainforests that you can tour and explore. I would love to ride on one of the ziplines that are 100 feet above the ground. The volcanos sound really amazing too. Plus Costa Rica has tons of animals too.

BrookieCookie_7097, I’m guessing D)22,000 B.C.E.

Only 6 more days!!!! can’t wait!
BrookieCookie_7097
May 18, 2009, 3:36 pm

well for all you dudes who are still guessing the answer is B) 11,000 B.C.E.

oh and it looks like luckstomper did not answer i guess he did not know the answer or he is still looking up the answer on the internet
HeH HeH !

oh and luckstomper the answer is TRUE!
oh just tell me I’m right

Brooke
cowgirlexplorer
May 18, 2009, 6:24 pm

Hello everyone!
Only 5 days left until team Peru takes off to explore the wonders Peru has to offer. I am so excited and jealous all at the same time! I entered the trip as well but sadly did not win, but I am so happy for those of you who did.
Luckstomper and BrookieCookie_7097, I think it is so cool that you are doing Peruvian trivia, it is really neat to learn more about the country and its culture!
I live in Montana so next year I hope to be the first winner from Montana!
Keep exploring!
~Celeste~
shastasteph
May 18, 2009, 6:49 pm

Only about 5 days until the Peru trip! Can one of the lucky winners tell me if they are going to say hi to a Peruvian person for me and Luckstomper? I just really want to know. By the way, if you haven’t already guessed my name is Stephanie.
Luckstomper did you see the Survivor finale last night? It was awesome! I can’t believe JT won the million dollars and the $100, 000 most popular person prize! He’s rich! It’s also pretty cool that he’s going to start a business with Stephen. They’re pretty good friends. It will probably help out JT a lot since he’s not very educated and also because Stephen won’t cheat on him. Wow, the next season is in Samoa! Survivor is pretty cool because you can see what the country is like and even learn about its culture.
I decided to start on my HOEC essay soon. Oh and Kenna, I’ll answer your questions another time before the trip. I need to study for end-of-the-year tests. School is out in 14 days! Woo-hoo!!!
luckstomper
May 18, 2009, 6:59 pm

Hi everyone!

Luckstomper here! Well I see Brookie Cookied your calling me a liar and a cheater! I am hurt! Well I DIDN’T look up that question and the reason I didn’t answer this question was not because I didn’t know it so I looked it up, it was because I did not see the question till like 6:10 because I had DRAMA till 5 and plus I had to stay later because my mom’s doing cotuming for my play so just quit it. All I can get out of this is that yout just jealous that I knew your question and now your making this way bigger than it should be and for your information your the one who started this with saying your taking my job.

Oh ya Nellie following what you said about you had to take these giant horse sized anti-malaria pills well today we got to pick the disease we want to do for our project and I picked Malaria! And how are getting those pills down?
Tough? As a comparison to something how big are the pills? And wow you guys are leaving this Saturday! That’s totally wicked!!!!! Only 5 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!! Have fun!!!!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)

P.S. the answer to my question is………….
FALSE! Peru does have to deal with natural disasters such as flooding, tsunamis, volcanic activity, mudslides, and earthquakes. (looks like you were wrong Brookie_Cookie7097)

FACT or FICTION: Peru has over 600 mammals
Dewster
May 18, 2009, 7:22 pm

Oh my Gosh!! Only 4 days left till we go to PERU!!!! I got my camera and It works sooooo well, I can’t wait until we get to take pictures at the Macchu Picchu!!! WOW WHAT A EXPERIENCE COMING UP THIS WEEK!!!!!! I barely can get any sleep and have been getting up at 5:00 ever morning to play around with my camera and make sure I packed the right things!!!!
I can’t wait to be blogging from PERU!!
Bye
~Dewey
cowgirlexplorer
May 18, 2009, 9:40 pm

Luckstomper,
I think the answer to your question is fiction or false because Peru is on the coast.
I dont know much about Peru but I hope that i am right. Potentially any area could experience a tsunami or flooding. But I would just guess that it would just be seldom due to the Location of Peru!
~Celeste~
kassen15
May 19, 2009, 11:36 am

Luckstomper,
I may have mislead you a bit. They actually make the pill CASE HUGE to scare people…(such as myself.) As you can probably tell, I ‘m not much of a fan of pills. I would say that they are pea-smushed pea sized. (Yes….I do use very scientific terms.) SO, the case taht the pills arer in are like nickle sized! I ate mine with a potato….

I ABSOLUTELY love my camera! I took TONS of pictures of it yesterday! THIS WEEK IS TAKING FOREVER! I can’t wait to go to PERU!

I wonder if Nat. Geo. will set the next HOEC in a country that they have facts about that they have been recently sowing/telling about on the main little slide show that you first get to when you get to the website….
Nellie
cowgirlexplorer
May 19, 2009, 2:38 pm

You guys are sooooooo lucky!
I´m sure everyone loves their cameras! My camera takes like 5 sec after you hit the button to actually take the picture! School ends in 3 days! But sadly I have to take finals because I missed over 5 days of school, Bummer! I also have to leave the day before the Peru expedition takes off so I wont be able to watch the first couple of videos, bummer as well!
Keep exploring!
Peru! Peru! Peru!
ªCelesteª
jazzybirdexplorer
May 19, 2009, 4:59 pm

Wow I haven’t blogged in FOREVER! I’ve been so busy!

so to catch up on some of the questions I saw going around:

I have not been to Asia…I have never even left the Eastern Standard time zone!

The one place I would go to would be the galapagos islands!

One of the most exciting things (actually two…) one is: a chickadee landed on my hand! and the other: I rescued a baby house sparrow one time! it was adorable! it didn’t even have its feathers yet!

So OMG 4 MORE DAYS AHHH! SOOO happy for you guys! Your gonna have sooo much fun!

WOAH WOAH WOAH! why are you guys getting out of school so early??? We get out June 26th!

CONGRATULATIONS! yyyeeeeeaaaah! yay! hooray!

~Jayme
luckstomper
May 19, 2009, 6:05 pm

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to ask why is everyone getting out of school so early? I’m getting out in 21 days on the 18th! I can’t believe that! Well I know that schools in Arizona end in like May because of when they start. Because I guess they could start whenever because it’s like always summer! I know this because some of my old friends moved down there because they didn’t like the cold weather in Massachusetts. Well the answer to my question is………………..

FALSE! There actually only a little over 500 mammal species in Peru.
Well bye!

~~~~JON~~~~
(luckstomper)
Kenna
May 19, 2009, 8:44 pm

Hi everyone, McKenna here!

Wow, all of your answers to my questions are amazing. This truly is a group of hands-on-explorers! I loved reading through the posts from those who, so far, have answered my questions about exploring. All of the ways you explore your world, the most exciting thing you have discovered, and the places you would travel to and explore, are amazing!
And, jazzybirdexplorer, how did you rescue a baby bird that young? I would love to hear how to do that. We found something (we aren’t quite sure what exactly it was. We think it was a baby squirrel, but it had no fur, its eyes were still “sealed” shut, and it was only about the size of a large walnut…). We tried to give it milk and keep it warm, but it ultimately didn’t make it. Any suggestions for potential future “rescue missions?”

And let’s see — to answer my own questions:
1.) I love (as I wrote in my essay) exploring my world through sound. But there are also countless other ways I adore exploring, especially through photography and writing.
2.) Hmmm… well, I could name an entire list of exciting things I have found! But today as my mom and I were driving down the twining, country road near my house, guess what we spotted! A baby fox no larger than a small cat bounded playfully along one of our neighbor’s vast, green yards, across the road, and hopped into the nearby woods. Talk about a beautiful, adorable little being! He was too cute!
And I am sure that as we explore during our expedition to Peru, we all will discover unbelievable things!
3.) Well, I have an entire list put together with the countries I want to travel to and explore. (Which is basically every country in the world!) Ironically, Peru has always been on the top of my list!
Heehee, my friends on my school’s newspaper staff and I have even planned a (hopefully) future “Globe-Trotter Yacht Trip” and have planned our route around the world!

Talk to you all soon!
I can’t believe we only have 3 days until we are in Peru! WOOHOO!

Kenna
shastasteph
May 19, 2009, 8:51 pm

Only 4 more days! Wow!

Hey, **HOEC Peru winners** (Dewey, Kenna, Nellie, etc.) can one of you (or others on the team) tell me and/or Luckstomper if you are going to say ‘hi’ to someone for us? That would be awesome! Please think about it and reply and/or show us on the videos! Thanks!

Kenna, I have some time to answer your questions. Here goes nothing!
1) My favorite way to explore is to just go out into the world and start looking around and touching everything. If I see something that looks interesting I pick it up (as long as it’s not an animal or insect that does not seem like it wants to be disturbed). I feel it, smell, it, and continue exploring the area. I live in a big city in California, so there aren’t exactly a lot of forests, plains, wetlands, etc. Therefore, I explore a special place that will be the center of my 2010 essay entry.

2) I have discovered, or seen I should say, two very exciting events. Both were at Lake Shasta which is near the border of Oregon but still in California (Lake Shasta was the topic of my 2009 HOEC Peru entry). I go there every year to go houseboating with friends. Once, I saw a bald eagle with a huge wingspan fly out and return with a rainbow trout in its beak. Just this past summer, a herd of black-tailed deer came by our houseboat. The herd was so close that you could see the velvet lining on the two young bucks’ antlers! It was amazing. I will remember those two sightings forever!

3) If I could visit any country in the world I think it would be Egypt. Egypt’s history and environment has always amazed me. It has a very rich culture and unique setting. It would be great to see the Nile,ride camels, and see and ride purebred Arabian horses (horses are my favorite animal)! I would also love to visit the great Pyramids of Giza, the last ancient wonder of the world left. I would also be cool to visit Brazil because of the Amazon River and the vast rain forest there. I love animals and I would love to see the Amazon’s great diversity.

Everyone, tell me if you like what I said. I put the info about seeing the bald eagle and the deer herd into my essay for the Peru HOEC contest since I wrote about Lake Shasta. I am determined to win this contest someday no matter when I do(it could be this year’s, next year’s if I can still enter, or when I’m older)! Tomorrow if I have time, I’m going to tell you about this program I got into for the summer. It’s a program where you work with animals. Awesome!

Luckstomper, isn’t it amazing that coach took a lie detector test, and the fact that he was captured by Natives in the Amazon is true? I just couldn’t believe it when they revealed the truth!

< ***I hope many of you answer my questions! Please do!***> Wow, this is long.
shastasteph
May 19, 2009, 9:57 pm

I’m currently reading a book about Jamaica for school and it is very interesting. Jamaica is such an interesting country. Kenna, I want to change my answer for question #3. Instead, I want to go to Jamaica. It would be nice to go to a country in the Caribbean. I wonder if HOEC will go there next. Well, going to Egypt would still be really awesome. Anywhere that National Geographic picks for the 2009-2010 HOEC contest will be great. I know it.
I am Ian
May 19, 2009, 10:40 pm

I haven’t been able to sleep very well. The camera is so cool!!! I’m still not able to get all the functions but I know I’ll learn more on the trip, so I’ve just been taking a load of pictures. I’ll make sure to blog a ton on the trip though.
kassen15
May 20, 2009, 10:23 am

Luckstomper/shastasteph,
I will most DeFiNiTeLy say “hola” to someone in Peru for you. I can’t sleep at night!!! I just got done practicing my guitar for this morning, and wondered if any of you guys, besides Kenna, play guitar? Or any musical instrument for that matter? It is a beautiful day here in Kansas and I think I’m going to start packing today!
Nellie
P.S. Wish me luck!
Flame's Ash
May 20, 2009, 4:42 pm

Okay, WOW. I missed a lot!

Oh. My. Gosh! Two more days!!!!!! I am sooooo ridiculously excited for you guys! Kenna, you said you were gonna bring me back an alpaca, right? ^^ I’ll name it Flurr… FLURR THE ALPACA.

…y’all can ignore the above randomness. I’m just excited. ^^

Keep rockin’ guys!

Ash
afoswim12
May 20, 2009, 7:32 pm

IAN!!

Hey it’s Abbie. I went to Australia last summer and I don’t know if I can say where you’re from, so I’ll just say I’m from Lewiston!
jazzybirdexplorer
May 21, 2009, 8:35 pm

Hey Everyone!

…sorry this is long…im just trying to tell the story right =/

Only one more day! You leave tomorrow! GOOD LUCK! Think of me when you see the birds! =D I’m so happy for you!

McKenna, to answer your question: The story behind my rescuing the bird is (and that everything happens for a reason):
~So one day in Mass. (we were on vacation at the beach) I had lost my favorite watch in the ocean and spent about an hour at high tide looking for it. I couldn’t find it and so i cleaning up some trash I found floating and started the walk “home” (my aunts beach house) I got home and the little shower thing that you rinse your feet off with didn’t work so I was looking all around for the problem. Then I heard a hissing sound like a balloon…I look down and there was a little pink…well…almost blob sitting there. I thought it was a piece of little so I went to pick it up (i was in a cleaning up mood after my watch) and it was a bird! It was the length of my pinky finger and about an inch wide. It’s eyes were purple and sealed shut and the beak was yellow and soft. It had no feathers. I checked to see if the mamma was anywhere and it wasn’t so I picked it up and brought it inside and soaked teeny pieces of bread in water and gave it to it (it was crying for food). We found the nest about 4 feet right above where it fell (on cement) in a little part of the hollow support beam. The mamma bird was sitting in the nest and flew out (not far away) when I put my hand in to put the bird back. we sprayed the area around it with water to get rid of scent and then the mamma bird went back and took care of it =) so if i hadn’t lost my watch, i wouldn’t have stopped at the “shower” and wouldn’t have stopped to pick up the “litter” which was really a bird. =D

You know what a really cool part is? 4 days later at low tide in water up to my chest mixed with rocks on the bottom….was my watch. After 4 days at sea it I found it! with my initials and everything! happy ending=)

So to rescue a baby bird:

-first of all, most likely the bird doesn’t need to be rescued. Often times the mother will push the baby out of the nest because believe it or not, it is safer there on the ground. Predators can spot the nest and sniff out the eggs and/or mother/baby bird (especially if you walk up to it and leave a trail of your scent for a raccoon to follow.) so the mother pushes the baby to the ground where the baby knows instinctively to be still and quiet. This way, predators walk right past and the bird is unharmed.

-if you see a baby bird on the ground DO NOT approach it right away. think first. is this bird too young to be pushed out of the nest? if yes, use gloves and find the nest and put it back in but either spray the area with water to get rid of scent or if it is in a tree you can put up a metal plate around the trunk to prevent predators from climbing up. If it doesn’t look sickly young then just leave it there, stay about 10 to 15 feet away and keep an eye on it…if the mamma bird doesn’t come to feed it within the next day or so take action.

Sorry this blog was so long!!

HAVE A BLAST IN PERU!
ENJOY EACH OTHER’s COMPANY!
LIVE FOR THE MOMENT!
SOAK IT IN!
TAKE PICTURES!

LOVE IT!

CONGRATULATIONS NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS HANDS-ON-EXPLORER CHALLENGE 2009 PERU EXPIDITION TEAM!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

=D JAYME! =D
softballstar21
May 21, 2009, 11:09 pm

hey guys!! Hallie here. Wow… I haven’t written in over a month, sorry! Congrats to all the winners!! You guys totally deserve it AND… you’re leaving in TWO DAYS!!!! ahh! I’m so excited for all of you.

sadly for me, this was my last year I could enter, but not everybody can win! It’s okay, I’ll still make it to Peru one day, I’m sure anyone else who didn’t win will too.

While you guys are there, see if you can get in a plane and check out the Nazca lines. Archaeologists atill haven’t found a ligit reason why they are they, other than for the Gods. I wonder what they mean? See what you guys can find out for me!!!

Peace out!
-Hallie*
shastasteph
May 22, 2009, 9:35 pm

kassen15/Nellie, thanks so much for going to say hi to a Peruvian for me and Luckstomper. I hope you all have a wonderful time! I will definitely be keeping track of your expedition on the blogs.
kbingham
May 24, 2009, 8:57 pm

Happy Trails to McKenna and all of her new friends!
Just wanted to post a friendly “Hello,” and to tell you that you will be very much missed at our next Green Team Meeting… however, I am sure it is one of the LAST things you are thinking about as you embark on your Peruvian expedition..
I wish you and all of your fellow explorers “Godspeed” and my best wishes for a spectacular adventure… You are making a lifetime of memories… ENJOY!!!

All the Best!

Ms. Bingham
PS… Onastasia says, “hello!”
shastasteph
May 25, 2009, 8:58 pm

I am determined to win this contest no matter what. I am gong to approach my essay with a unique angle that hopefully the judges will never have seen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I really want to win, and I do believe that I have the will to win this contest! Go Hands-On Explorer Challenge!
shastasteph
May 26, 2009, 8:19 pm

100th post (maybe)! I did it! Everyone, check out the 3 new blogs from 3 winners reporting from the Peru expedition. It’s a few days behind, but you can still get a clear understanding of what they did and what they saw. Check it out!

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