Educating High School Students About Being a Diabetic Athlete

This week I was asked to talk to local highschool students in a Health Occupations class about being an athlete with diabetes. I was nervous at first because they were highschool students and so much bigger than me, but I loosened up and had a good time. The students asked lots of questions and I had fun showing them how I check my sugar and insert a catheter for my insulin site.  I showed them one of of my videos so they could see what I do, then asked trivia questions and gave out Jackson DVD’s for correct answers. The kids looked very interested in what I had to say and I think they learned a lot and had fun doing it. They are hopin to raise $10,000 for Juvenial Diabetes reseach and I hope they beat their goal!

Fundraising earrings for American Whitewater!

This Christmas I decided I wanted to do a fundraiser for one of my favorite charities, American Whitewater! I decided making earrings would be a fun way to make holiday gifts and sold them throughout Carson City, Reno, and all over the country! I tried to only use natural rocks and wood to emphasize the river, so I used lots of turquoise, obsidian, jasper, jades and wood beads. On Christmas Eve, I sent AW a donation of $420 from the sale of earrings, and since then, I have raised over $100 more to donate this month!  I am having so much fun doing this that I plan on taking them on the road with me this summer and selling them at river events for American Whitewater. Thanks to everyone who purchased earrings, and glad they made it through the mail safely- hope you enjoy them. Drop me a line if you see anything your interested in.

My 2010 year end review!

It has been an incredible year for me! I accomplished most of my goals for 2010 including completing my loop and competing in the Junior Olympics where I won 5 gold medals and I became the Cub Cadet National Slalom Champion. I also run more class 4 rivers and worked hard to support American Whitewater and Outdoor Nation as a good ambassador.

2010 Whitewater Accomplishments

Kern River Festival,  1st.  in Jr. Women’s Slalom,  2nd. in Women’s Extreme Creek Race,  2nd.  in Women’s Extreme Slalom Race, 1st. in Women’s Triple Crown

Cache Creek, 1st in Jr. Slalom

Reno River Festival.  2nd. in Jr. Freestyle

Truckee River Race, 1st. in Jr. Slalom

Auburn River Festival, 1st. Jr. Freestyle, 1st. Jr. Slalom

Yampa River Festival, 1st in Jr. open Freestyle, 2nd. in Jr Freestyle,  2nd. in  Jr.  Women’s Slalom

Teva Mountain Games, 12th in Women’s Freestyle, only cadet competitor

Lyons River Festival, 2nd in Cadet Slalom, 2nd in Cadet Freestyle

FibArk River Festival,  1st Cadet.  Freestyle, 1st. Cadet. Slalom

American River Festival, 1st Cadet Freestyle, 1st Cadet Slalom

Mokelumne River Festival, 1st Cadet Down River Race, 1st Cadet Slalom

Age Group National Slalom Championship., 1st Cub-Cadet

Junior Olympics, 5 Gold Medals and 2 first places (non-sanctioned event) in Women’s Cub Cadet Category, 1st. Slalom, 1st. Sprint Slalom, 1st.  Boatercross, 1st. Down River Sprint, 1st. Down River Race, 1st. C2 Slalom, 1st. Freestyle.

I was able to travel all over the nation this year and ran several new class 4 rivers including The Tellico,  Youghiogheny, Cheat, New River, and the Ocoee, as well as the Nantahala and the Potomac rivers in the east, and Pauley Creek, Brush Creek, the Kaweaha, and the  NF of the American, as well as my first over night self support kayak trip on class 4 Deer Creek. in the west.

Off River I spoke to 150 middle school students about river careers on Career Day in Reno, Nv. and to 100 4th and 5th graders in Sacramento, Ca. about getting outside and enjoying the outdoors, but especially kayaking!

Goals for 2011

I hope to continue competing and defend my Jr. Olympic and National titles and learn more freestyle tricks including Cartwheels, Backloops and Spacegodzillas.  I also hope to run as many rivers as possible and be a good ambassador for AW and Outdoor Nation.

Support Team HugABug As We Walk for A Cure

The Reno Junvenile Diabetes Research Fund Walk for the Cure is on Sunday, October 12th at the University of Nevada, Reno campus on the main quad. Each years it’s a fun even with plenty of activities and diabetes-friendly food for the whole family. Each year after I was diagnosed at the age of 3, my team and I walk and raise as much money as we can to find a cure for diabetes.

Click here to donate!

Please support my team this year with any sort of donation you can afford

The New Jackson Kayak Dynamic Duo

This week I finally got to try my Dynamic Duo! My Dad and I took it out on the South Fork of the American’s Chili Bar section with my Mom and our friends Colin and Hope Kemp. We had a blast! It was super stable and maneuverable and sliced through the holes like butter. We added two 200 bean Happy Seats and another set of hip pads so I could paddle it and both Dad and I were very comfortable. I started out kayaking class 2 rivers at the age of 3 in a tandem whitewater kayak and transitioned to my first Fun 1when I was 4. My parents were amazed at how I could eddy in and out and ferry on my own as well as read water which I had learned from kayaking in a Duo with my Dad. The Dynamic Duo is the perfect learning and training tool for anyone who wants to get on the water, and especially great for introducing your kids to one of the most fun sports a family can participate in!