Leah Smejkal

What national park do you dream of visiting?

My dream trip would be to North Cascades National Park. I would love to experience the glaciers, mountains, and forests of this beautiful park. I think it would be so peaceful and rejuvenating to camp under the stars and wake up to the magnificent views. I have always loved nature and find spending time outdoors brings me serenity that is not found in day to day life. The Pacific Northwest is stunningly beautiful and I would love to explore the Cascades.

What has been your favorite adventure experience?

My favorite adventure experience was a trip to Costa Rica in 2019. I organized and lead a trip for students attending the technical college where I am an instructor. We spent two weeks and experienced biking along the Caribbean coast, hiking through the rainforest, swimming and surfing in the ocean, zip lining between the mountains, and learning about the health care system and culture of the Costa Rican people. It was an incredible experience overall!

What would you do with $10,000?

I would spend it on the most adventurous trip I could come up with. My ideal trip would involve camping in the wilderness, hiking the mountains, seeing lots of wildlife, and hopefully rafting down a river. I would love to do this with my husband and three adult children before they start getting married and having children of their own. It is important to me to make those kind of memories that we can share with each other for the rest of our lives.