By Andy Klotz—
MUNCIE, IN. –Chris Smith has had a passionate interest in Lewis and Clark since he was a young boy. He used to read about their early 1800s expedition across the western United States and wonder what it was like to cross rugged terrain using primitive transportation with limited supplies.
The veteran Muncie Central teacher no longer wonders. He knows firsthand.
Thanks to a Teacher Creativity grant from Lilly Endowment, Smith spent part of his summer retracing the steps of the famous explorers. For nine glorious days in July, he and a group of Lewis and Clark enthusiasts, led by historian Clay Jenkinson, canoed the Missouri River; hiked the Lolo Trail; and camped under the open skies. Smith loved every second of it.
“It absolutely exceeded my expectations,” he said. “The scenery was amazing. I learned a lot. It was the experience of a lifetime!”
Now the lifelong educator is looking to educate others about this unique opportunity to better understand a pivotal event in American history.
“I want to go to community organizations and classrooms to be able to share my experience,” he said. “Ultimately, I’d love to come up with some way to send a student and a parent on this trip because it is just an amazing opportunity.”
Until last December, Smith didn’t even allow himself to believe the trip would be possible. That’s when he got word from Lilly Endowment that his grant application was approved and he would receive about $8,000 to make it happen. He then decided to chronicle his experience through a series of Instagram stories.
“I wanted a way to document it, so my wife suggested I do Instagram stories,” Smith said. “I would do these stories, and they gained a lot of traction. I interviewed guides that were with us, and other people that were on the trip. It turned out to be a great way to do it.”
Smith’s favorite part of the trip was a seven-and-a-half-mile hike straight up Wendover Ridge, gaining 3,000 feet of elevation in the process. He said it took six-and-a-half hours, and was worth every second.
“The whole time, I’m thinking: I’m doing this with a little backpack on my back and a jug of water,” he said. “Lewis and Clark are doing it with 33 men, 40 horses, thousands of pounds of equipment, making this same hike on a trail that’s maybe this wide (holding his hands two feet apart). It was just amazing!”
Another day, Smith and his group had a thrilling experience that wasn’t pre-planned. They, like Lewis and Clark, encountered a flash flood during a trek inside a canyon.
“You could see the water (rushing) up above our ankles, and it was actually a little bit scary, but a very authentic experience,” he said.
Smith intends to inspire school kids and others to do something they think might be out of reach for one reason or another. He’ll start at his daughter’s classroom at North View Elementary, but is happy to visit with any group that asks in order to encourage them to be lifelong learners.
“Just because you graduate from high school or college doesn’t mean you stop learning,” he said. “I’m 55 years old, and I learned a lot (on this trip).”
Smith also hopes to motivate his colleagues to seek out learning opportunities that can benefit their students.
“I would encourage anybody to look into a Lilly grant, and try to take advantage of that opportunity because it was phenomenal,” he said.
A short video recapping Smith’s journey can be found here. He says any community group who would like him to speak at an upcoming meeting can reach out to him at christopher.smith@muncieschools.org.
About Muncie Community Schools
Serving the local community since 1855, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) educates more than 5,000 students at six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school while also managing several other educational facilities. Through its unique partnership with Ball State University, MCS strives to maximize each student’s potential so he or she can be a positive, productive member of society.
