2019 Teens Westward Bound Trip 3!!
Hi America! Meet your 2019 TWB counselors- we are so excited to learn all about you while traveling America this summer. For now, here is a little information about us. We cannot wait to see you on July 13th!
Grant Deaton - Program Director
HELLO AMERICA! My name is Grant Deaton and this is my 19th year traveling across this amazing country with TWB. I started going out west in 1996 and 1997 as a participant. In 2001, I began traveling as a counselor and became the tour director in 2003. It was such an honor and privilege to take on the role of Program Director in 2016. Words cannot express how excited I am about traveling out west again this summer with such an incredible group of young people. We are going to have a blast!
I have worked as a Marketing teacher for 13 years in North Carolina. I enjoy golfing, mountain biking, backpacking, as well as hanging out with my family and dogs. My wife, Kitch, and I are extremely blessed to have four wonderful little boys in our lives. Connor (8 years old), Brandon (6 years old), Samuel (4 year old) and Grayson (2 weeks old) bring so much joy to our family. I will miss them so much this summer.
Enjoying every minute of life is so important to me. Going out west every year with the best young people God has to offer is the best way to spend a summer in my mind. I can't wait to see you soon!!
Dallas Godbold (TWB 2010-1)- Trip Director/Site Managers
HELLO TWB!!!!! I am counting down the days until we meet on July 13th!
I’m Dallas Godbold and I am from TWB Headquarters, Mooresville, NC! I was lucky enough to have the one and only Grant as a teacher in high school! I had the amazing opportunity to go on TWB in 2010 and it forever changed my life. This is my fourth summer traveling out west as a staff member, and I am honored to be your trip director this summer. We are going to have the best summer, GET EXCITED!!!
I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May of 2015 with a degree in Elementary Education! I am currently about to finish my fourth year teaching 4th grade at Jamestown Elementary School! I absolutely love teaching, everyday in 4th grade is exciting (get ready for some good 4th grade stories)! My students claim that I have song for everything, which is probably true (so get ready to hear some great music)! I am also involved in my church and lead a small group of first grade girls each Sunday.
I loved Greensboro so much, I decided to call it “home” and bought the cutest house! I have loved decorating it, but I have learned I am not a huge fan of yard work. Alright some important things you need to know about me…. I LOVE ice cream, coffee, and peanut butter cups. I love my spending time with my family, I am one of 5 kids, so the Godbold house is honestly pretty entertaining. I’m a big fan of glitter shoes, sunshine, and the beach.
I hope you are ready for a fun filled summer, I promise it will be a summer you will ALWAYS remember! We are are going to have 23 days filled with loads of sunshine, happiness, and excitement. TWB holds a special place in my heart and I can’t wait to experience it with you!
Kent Alford (TWB 2014-3) -Bus Packers/Bus Cleaners
What’s going on everyone?!? My name is Kent Alford, aka Clark Kent’s third cousin, and I am so excited to be heading out west will all of you. This will be my first time as a counselor. I went with TWB on their very first third trip in 2014 and can’t wait for July 14th.
I am from Newberry, South Carolina where I graduated from Mid-Carolina Highschool to make my way to Western Carolina University where I am scheduled to graduate with a degree in marketing in the fall of 2020. I am currently working for Wildwater at the Nantahala river as a raft guide. This will be my second season there so I’m kind of a professional. My other interests include shredding the gnar, whether it’s on the water, snow, or at the skateparks.
Other than that I am SUPER excited to be going out west with so many more opportunities to meet all of you awesome people, but I want everyone to be safe because you never know when you will get attacked by the BEAVERSHARKS!!!!
Julia Andrews (TWB 20013-1) - Cooks
Julia Andrews (TWB 20013-1) - Cooks
Hi friends!! I’m Julia Andrews and I am SO excited to head out west with y’all this summer! I was blessed to go out west for the first time in 2013 and cannot wait to be a counselor for Trip 3!!!!!!
Earlier this summer, I graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a concentration in Worksite Health Promotion. Wow, that’s a long degree...basically I studied how to keep people healthy while they are on the go! Don’t worry, I will make sure we all reach our step goals this summer!! Although I bleed purple and gold (even after a few horrible football seasons) I moved back to Wilmington (where I was born and raised) and will start nursing school just a few days after our trip returns!
My favorite things—LOTS of black coffee in the morning, CHOCOLATE, any activity OUTSIDE that I can do with my sweet rescue pup, running, and spending time with all of my AWESOME friends and family!
I truly believe there is power in a positive attitude and I CANNOT WAIT until we get to go on this awesome adventure together!! July 13th will be here before we know it! I hope y’all are ready for the best experience of your life!!!!! Go Pirates!! Go TWB!! Go America!!
John Miller (TWB 2006-1)- Dishwashers/Bus Packers
Get your bags packed Teens Westward Bound, it’s almost time!! I am John Miller and hail from the metropolitan area of Mayodan, NC (just kidding of course, it's actually quite small!). I went on TWB as a participant in the summer of 2006 (one year prior to the blog, so no going back to look at how goofy I was!!) and then as a counselor starting in 2012. I am anxiously awaiting this summer's trek!
After graduating from McMichael High, I went on to Wingate University to pursue a degree in dealing drugs, ooops I mean Pharmacy! I received my Doctor of Pharmacy and work as a Clinical Consultant Pharmacist that services nursing and assisted living facilities across North Carolina, Virginia, & West Virginia. I also push pills at Walmart two to three days a week. During my time at Wingate, I had the opportunity to travel a tremendous amount abroad. My studies allowed me to travel through the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, but nothing excites me more than traveling across our beautiful country with the best high school students around!
An easy description of myself would be a sports fanatic and avid outdoorsman! I am an Eagle Scout and still active with the BSA via the Junior Firefighter program at my local Fire Department where I volunteer. In my free time, I enjoy kayaking, hiking, relaxing on the lake, and being a beach bum. I looove coffee and tea, but unfortunately good tea is only east of the Mississippi!
Looking forward to meeting you all and having a great adventure out west!
"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible."
Madi Nanney (TWB 2013-1)- Bloggers
GET EXCITED Y'ALL!!! You're all about to go through THE most amazing experience!
My name is Madi Nanney and I will be one of your counselors this Summer. Way back in 2013 I got the chance to travel out West with Trip 1 and it has impacted my life ever since. This will be my first time going as a counselor, but have no fear I'm ~pretty~ positive that I can handle it. This country is truly beautiful and I cannot wait to travel it again and see it through all of your eyes.
I just graduated from the University of Central Florida (GO KNIGHTS!) this May with a degree in Event Management and Marketing - so if you ever need a party planned let ya girl know! I currently live in my hometown of Mooresville, NC and am actively looking for a job within the Events industry to begin whenever I get back from this trip of a lifetime! I absolutely love seeing an event built from scratch, creating true hospitality, and making sure spirits are high and happy! When ever I am not traveling out west or job searching, I enjoy: going to any type of music event, being outdoors, spending time with my family, traveling and a good quote :)
I am SO looking forward to getting to know each and everyone of you as we take this journey together! See you July 13th!
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." --Maya Angelou
