Meet West Burge, FBRA Class of 2020
For West Burge, life after FBRA has continued to be filled with many of the things he loved during his middle school years: adventure, the outdoors, challenging experiences, and being part of a team. Today, West lives in Bellingham, Washington, where he attends Western Washington University during the school year and spends his summers fighting wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service. Bellingham has proven to be a pretty perfect fit, with skiing, mountain biking, climbing, and kayaking all close by.
When you look back at FBRA, what stands out most?
Some of West’s favorite memories come from FBRA’s three-day trips. He remembers those experiences as opportunities to build stronger relationships with classmates and teachers while doing something fun and challenging together. Two adventures in particular still stand out: the cave trip and the Nantahala canoeing trip.
But when West reflects on FBRA now, it isn’t just the adventures he remembers. He credits the school with helping prepare him for what came next.
FBRA felt like one of the first times in my life where people treated me like an adult.
West remembers being spoken to with respect while also being held accountable for his actions—something he believes helped prepare him for high school and college. The academics stuck with him, too; he says he still uses Mr. Schroeder’s methods in his college math classes.
Below, pictures from West’s time at FBRA (left to right): Chattooga trip, downtown field lesson, music practice
Perhaps one of the biggest connections between his FBRA experience and his life today is the emphasis on being a reliable and effective member of a team. Wildland firefighting requires people to work together efficiently under demanding conditions, and West sees his years at FBRA as an early part of that journey.
So what does West do when he isn’t studying or fighting wildfires?
Not surprisingly, he still loves being outside. Kayaking is his favorite sport, but mountain biking and skiing aren’t far behind. Beyond simply being fun, West appreciates the communities these sports create and the chance they give him to disconnect from work and school.
What advice would you give to current FBRA students?
West’s answer goes back to something current students will recognize immediately: “Nice or Neutral.” His advice is to truly embrace it. Being kind makes working with others easier—especially when you’re part of a team doing something difficult—and you never know when someone you meet today might cross your path again down the road. And, as West puts it, there’s an even simpler reason:
It just feels better to be nice.
For West, being a FBRA alum also means continuing the work that began during those middle school years. He sees the alumni community as being connected by a shared expectation to continue growing in character and integrity.
The skills I learned and connections I’ve made continue to open doors for me in my current life.
Looking back, West describes FBRA as a place that gave him room for positive, constructive growth during some incredibly formative years—and it’s clear that pieces of his FBRA experience are still traveling with him today.
This year, the boys program was lucky enough to have West step in due to a staff illness on the 8th grade Induction trip. West addressed all the students in the boys program at the opening campfire on Monday evening. Here is what he shared with our community:
Hi, I’m West. 6 years ago, I sat where all of you are sitting. Since then, a few key choices have led me to travel the world with my kayak, fight wildfires for the forest service, and attend a college where I can ski, mountain bike, climb, and kayak in the same day. All of this didn’t come from a master plan, it came from a concept called compounding opportunity.
Steve Jobs said “you can’t connect the dots moving forward, you can only connect them moving backwards”. It’s impossible to know what results will come of today’s choices so all you can do is trust and use good judgment. I didn’t know going to FBRA was going to set me on a path to battle wildfires in the west but it certainly did and I’m grateful for that. Packing for a 3 day teaches you how to pack for a 14-day fire assignment, efficiently gearing up for canoeing is a lot like gearing up for running a chainsaw to cut Fireline. Skills create Skills, doors create doors. You can’t see where the dots lead right now, all you can do is collect great dots.
Financially, compounding means your money makes more money, and that additional money makes even more money. In practical terms, your skills and past experiences will open doors for you, and the things you learn from your new experiences will open even more doors.
All of you have an excellent start in the realm of opportunity because you are sitting here tonight. You are about to go through a fun, challenging, and educational week. You get the chance to work together with peers and teachers to solve real problems, create real bonds, and have real fun. In my opinion, most of the practical learning happens outside the classroom. These are skills no test can measure. These skills unique to the FBRA experience such as staying calm in a rapid, backing up your teammates, pushing through a project, those are the important ones. Flipping a canoe is real learning, navigating a cave is real learning, service projects are real learning. FBRA teaches its students how to be resilient humans with desirable traits and that will take you a long way in life. Students experience personal growth here not because it is forced on us, but because the ceiling is so dang high.
The main idea behind compounding opportunities is that the more you lean into trying new things, the more new things will be presented to you. I have found that the most valuable things in life are skills and relationships, both of which are of the most importance here at FBRA.
To put it simply, all of you are in the right place. My most valuable lessons and experiences have all come from accepting the chances and pursuing an opportunity rather than watching it pass by. Stepping into growth rather than waiting on it to come to you is essential, and offers a massive headstart through your middle school years and beyond. This week I encourage you to give an extra 10% on everything you do and step up to every challenge put before you. The biggest mistake you can make is not trying.
Commit to the hard stuff this week, say yes to challenges that make you nervous, start compounding today.
The FBRA community runs deep and it runs strong, so my message to all of you is to lean in.