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The Pioneers

In 2010, a teacher at Northwest Passage and professional photographer, Ben Thwaits, brought to life his idea of using nature photography as a therapeutic outlet. These photographs represent the beginning of a program that has impacted hundreds of children, helping them find beauty in the world around them, and within themselves.
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"Black Bear" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
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"Black Bear" by Derek, 17 | The Pioneers

We were driving back from our day on the river, and Chris spotted the bear cub. We started taking pictures from the van, and the bear seemed calm, so we got out to get better shots. I was pretty scared because I thought mama may be close. When I got out of the van, I made the grunting noise that a mama bear would use to comfort it's cub, and when I did that, the bear turned and looked at me and I got the shot. I was shaking the whole time!!

About Derek: "My name is Derek. I am 17 years old and I am from Superior, Wisconsin. I have been through a lot in life with my family and friends. I have had a lot of problems with substance abuse, but I am turning things around thanks to Northwest Passage. My dream is to be an underwater welder when I get older. For me, nature photography is a way to get away from all my problems. It was something I didn't really know about or care about when I came here, but the more I worked at it, the more I turned out to love it. Now it's my passion."

  • "Streaming Life" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "Black Bear" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "A Butterfly's Gaze" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "Let There Be No Envy" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "Inquisitive Frog" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "River Swimmer" by Derek, 17  |  The Pioneers
  • "Just a Teenager" by Chuck, 16  |  The Pioneers
  • "Eye in the Wall" by Chuck, 16  |  The Pioneers
  • "Sparkling Marigold" by Craig, 13 | The Pioneers
  • "Birch Bark" by Craig, 13 | The Pioneers
  • "Blue" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Painted Flower" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "The Flower" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Red Flower" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Yellow" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Green Dragonfly" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Eye in the Sky" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Soaring to New Heights" by De'Vante, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Diamonds in the Grass" by Devin, 16 | The Pioneers
  • "Tree in a Tree" by Devin, 16 | The Pioneers
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