Red rocks ascend from the desert soil towards a cloudless blue sky. Two yellow rafts with “Westminster” stamped on the side float along the Colorado River in Moab, Utah.
After paddling through 10 miles of whitewater rapids, the boats finally pull off to a small, scenic beach – accessible only by watercraft. The trip leaders dock the boats along the river bank and begin passing out gear to students.
Within minutes, the kitchen is put up, tents are pitched and students have branched off to enjoy the unique outdoor space. Some sprawl out on the soft sand while others swim in the river.
Isabelle Allen and Lilli Eckberg, both in their third year of leading trips for Westminster University’s Outdoor Program, completed the first student-led rafting trip.
This article demonstrates my storytelling skills.
I chose a narrative lead to engage my readers. I purposely used descriptive writing to paint a picture that captured my reader’s attention and set my story apart from the other news stories.
The result was a front-page story published online and in print, with about 1000 copies disseminated throughout Westminster University.