This July, with the help of kayaker and filmmaker Weston Boyles, Los Escualos will send a group of eight students to California, where they will explore the effects that hydro-dams have had on the Klamath River. “It’s not like building a house,” Roberto explains. “It’s important to understand that it’s a mega-structure with huge effects.” Roberto hopes that seeing these dams and how they’ve transformed the surrounding environment will help young people gain perspective on the dams proposed in Patagonia – and more importantly, be prepared to defend their beloved rivers against such proposals in the future.
They hope that this experience will challenge their students to develop deeper self-awareness, stronger community networks, and a profound sense of environmental stewardship -- similar to what takes place among students at the Alzar School.
As we talk in Roberto’s living room, two Los Escualos students wander in, catch up with Claudia in the kitchen, grab a few kayaks from the front yard, and head towards the river. The atmosphere is comfortable, supportive, and encouraging. To Roberto and Claudia, the Los Escualos students are like their own children. Beaming with paternal pride, Roberto boasts that when “they grow up, they want to protect their environment, and they know local history. But most importantly, they are good people. And if they are also good paddlers, even better.”
Roberto still marvels at the kayaking community that he’s created. Recently, he was standing with a group of students on the shore of the Rio Cochrane, next to the vibrantly painted Los Escualos boathouse. Inside, brightly colored kayaks are piled on top of one another, along with sprayskirts, helmets, PFDs, and various other kayaking gear. Over the course of the years, much of this gear has been donated from across the world by friends and fellow paddlers inspired by Roberto’s vision. “And to think,” Roberto told his students as they stood beside the boathouse, “how happy we were when we had just five kayaks.” Today, Roberto and Claudia have collected not only many more kayaks, but also a global network of students and friends whose lives have been transformed by their work -- including many Alzar School students and staff. And they are committed to continuing their mission. “As long as there is water, we’ll keep paddling,” says Claudia, laughing warmly back in her kitchen as Roberto and I finish chatting in the living room. I know they’ll do much more than paddle.