Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wilson Learns Of Spelunking In C.A.V.E.S.

Andrew Wilson, a student at Gurdon High School, has spent three weeks in the Arkansas underground as a participant in Project C.A.V.E.S. (Creative Adventures and Valuable Experiences through Spelunking).

Based near Jasper, C.A.V.E.S. is a unique program for 30 specially selective Arkansas ninth and tenth grade students. The students receive instruction in various areas of cave science and exploration, surveying and mapping and even cave rescue, taught by a veteran staff of area public school teachers supplemented by cave resource specialists from in and out of Arkansas.

This year's special guest was Debbie Buecher of Tucson, Ariz.

Buecher, a bat and hydrology expert, has logged many hours in caves all over the U.S., including Lechugilla Cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico.

Now in its 11th year, Project C.A.V.E.S has been recognized by the National Speleological Society, the Cave Research Foundation, the National Forest Service, the National Park Service, and other groups that have noted the continuing dedication and importance as well as the uniqueness of this program.

An Academic Enrichment for the Gifted in Summer (A.E.G.I.S.) program, Project C.A.V.E.S is funded by a grant from the State Department of Education.