Meet the Crew: Antonio Howell, advisor

Our in-school advisors are a big part of what makes Adventure Crew successful. They help recruit students to join our Saturday adventures -- and come out with us, too!

Antonio Howell is beginning his second year -- and his second school! -- with the Crew. Last year, the Cincinnati Public Schools counselor was part of the Academy of World Languages (AWL) team; this year, he's returning to the Crew at his new school, Roberts Academy.

"I like being able to help students experience outdoor activities that they may not get the chance to experience too often," said the Cincinnati native with a passion for languages. (He speaks and reads Japanese, had studied Indonesian and is currently learning Spanish.) "Many of the activities that I got to experience with the students last year (were activities) I didn’t get to experience until I was in college or an adult. So being able to assist with these experiences definitely makes me smile."

In fact, the skiing and snowboarding adventure was Antonio's first time on the slopes, as it was for a lot of his students. "It was cool to share that experience with them," he said.

Antonio recalls that his first adventure with the Crew was the scavenger hike, and one of his students was having a rough time. "He didn't like the outdoors much, didn't like hiking, didn't like the woods or occasional mud spots, slipped in the mud and complained the whole time out in the woods," Antonio recalls. "He definitely seemed to hate til the end, but his mates and I did our best to help him cheer up and try to have fun.

"I didn’t expect him to come on the next adventure at all, but to my amazement he did," Antonio said. Though the student still complained, he found parts of the adventure that he enjoyed. Month after month, the student came out with the Crew. "He became more and more willing to do activities and showed some liking to the outdoors," Antonio said. "I remember speaking to his mom, and she expressed the noticeable change to this student’s emotion to playing outside versus playing video games, and his desire to actually want to come on the trips."

Antonio, too, was a gamer growing up (and still is), but also loved climbing trees, playing sports in the yard and adventuring in the woods.

"Mom made sure to make me understand that my games will be there when I get back," he said.

Antonio is excited to share more of those unplugged experiences with his students.

"I can’t wait to take part in this year’s adventures with everyone," he said. "I know my students will have a great time, and I am sure I will have a great time, too."