teen spotlight
parents’
perspective
MARY
AUGUSTA
SLAWSON
Guice and Leah Slawson have raised
their children to be independent and to
stats Senior, 17
pursue their individual interests. Venturing to Alaska and Utah for weeks at a
notable
time with people she’d never met and
Spent 22 days in Alaska and 14
challenges she’d never encountered was
in Utah on outdoor leadership
something Mary Augusta wanted to do,
adventures with Moondance
and the couple supported her decision
Adventures
completely.
her story
“She wanted to get out of her
She’s never been to Disney World,
comfort zone,” Leah said. “I would’ve
but she’s seen almost every major
never put myself through the rigors
U.S. battlefield and national park.
she chose in backpacking, iceThe high school senior attributes
climbing, sleeping and eating
her appreciation for history and heritage and her
outdoors for 22 days. She is her
love of the outdoors to all her family’s traveling.
own person.”
,
“Teach them that they are special
“Without electronics on these trips, I was able
Her dad, Guice admires his
but they are not the exception to
to soak in every aspect of the scenery around me,”
daughter for her outlook on life
all and ability to see there’s a much
(and proving that teenagers can survive without
the rule. As part of our family, we
cell phones for longer than we think!).
larger world beyond Montmake sacrifices for one another.”
gomery and Alabama. “While
h Slawson
-Guice and Lea
PG (parental guidance) rating
she appreciates her home and
“As a child my parents always had hobbies, took
heritage,” Guice said, “she undertrips and created time for their marriage, which made me
stands and values people from other places and walks of life.”
understand that I was not the sole reason for their existence.
When it comes to parenting, the Slawsons know that the most
I knew they unconditionally loved me and did everything in
important thing is who they are in front of their children. “There
my best interest, but they allowed me to develop independence
is no one formula that is perfect,” Leah said, “but it is who you are,
and a strong sense of self at a young age.”
not what you do that matters most.”
parent-to-parent
parents’ perspective
A few months ago, Morgan’s mothe