Vallen Cook of Grand Portage, a freshman at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, recently participated in a program called “Portage.”
The Portage experience focused on experiential learning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Student participants canoed and camped in the BWCA Aug. 12-19 and also spent a day in Vallen’s hometown, Grand Portage, participating in service work through a local church.
Portage was led by Kevin Sutton, a Northwestern alumnus and director of Coldwater Experiential Programs, and three upperclassmen.
Theprogram was created to serve as a resource for incoming freshmen to navigate the transition to college life. Topics discussed ranged from the challenges of leaving home to creating a vision for their college education. Participants also experienced a day of fasting and solitude.
Vallen is a 2009 graduate of Cook County High School. He is the son of Sharon Morrison of Grand Portage.
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