I started Conversations From the Open Road to do what I love: to travel and meaningfully engage with people, to create and wonder alongside young adults, and to contribute to the broader conversations happening in our communities. Even though it seems every generation alarms some call, it seems that it is time for us to truly engage with the environmental, economic, political and social structures and values that we participate and perpetuate every day. Young adults thrive when given the respect and opportunity to process the big questions and challenges of this cultural moment. Unfortunately, the constraints of traditional classroom education makes this deep exploration difficult. I started Conversations From the Open Road to provide VT high school students an opportunity to learn and acquire the confidence, knowledge, technology and media skills to communicate and participate in our current world. Participants engage with people about significant societal issues and become media producers, rather than just passive consumers....most of the time I take it this seriously.