Second Ascent

04/22/2026

🌎♻️ Earth Day ♻️🌎

This didn’t start as an Earth Day idea.

It started with picking up trash.
Just a bucket, a few hours, and a simple question:
Why is all of this just sitting here?
Since then, it’s turned into something a lot bigger.

Last Saturday, we had the chance to be part of the Explorer Program out at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge with kids ages 5–10.

They took pieces of plastic and scraps that were headed for the landfill and turned them into art. Nothing fancy. Just creativity, curiosity, and a chance to see things differently.

And honestly… that’s what this is all about.

Recycling isn’t just throwing something in a bin and forgetting about it. It is about recognizing that what we call “waste” still has value—we just have to be willing to see it.

Through Second Ascent, we’ve been cleaning up trails, collecting materials, and turning them into things like climbing holds, art, and tools people can actually use and connect with. Even the training gear we’re making comes from plastic that was pulled straight from cleanups and community recycling programs —giving it a second life instead of letting it sit somewhere forever.

Earth Day doesn’t have to be perfect or complicated.

It can be as simple as:
• Picking something up
• Reusing something instead of tossing it
• Helping someone else see things a little differently
That’s how this grows.
This isn’t just about cleaning up.
It’s about changing how we think about what we throw away—and what we’re capable of rebuilding.

Second Ascent isn’t just a project — it’s a movement. Let’s make it unforgettable. ♻️

04/10/2026

Let's celebrate Earth Day and make some recycled art!!

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=urWTBhhLe02TQfMvQApUlAcmmDQeBoxJoGXIFmJpFBZUM0JEREYzNjZXWktaVVJXV1o4SlZCM1JZMi4u&fbclid=IwdGRjcARGZjNjbGNrBEZmKGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHtynISWXuv-M-SO4xoffhPJH38S2tThO6JxarNRGaT1J1S9lEIpra27g0hKo_aem_b5oWKoxWn8xymBY9V_emjA&route=shorturl

🌍 Join us for Refuge Explorers: Recycled Art Workshop – Celebrating Earth Day! 🌿🎨

Kids ages 5–10 and their favorite adult are invited to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge for a fun, hands‑on Earth Day adventure!(Parent or guardian must attend.)
👉 Register now: https://forms.office.com/g/5N5q0nvnx6

You’ll get to:
🐾 Learn about bison and other wildlife that call the Refuge home
♻️ Play interactive games like “Trash or Recycle?”
🎨 Create art using clean recycled materials
🌿 Discover simple ways we can protect nature every day
✨ Special Activity from Second Ascent:
Create your own mini recycled‑art masterpiece and explore how everyday materials can get a creative second life. No experience needed—just curiosity and imagination!

📅 April 18th, 2026
⏰ 9 AM – 11 AM
📍 Environmental Education Building
⚠️ Space is limited—register early using the link below!
👉 Register now: https://forms.office.com/g/5N5q0nvnx6

Brought to you through the partnership of Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Wichitas, and Second Ascent. 💚♻️

Questions? Contact Quinton Smith at [email protected].

Come make art, make memories, and make a difference this Earth Day! 🌿✨

03/26/2026

Not exactly what people picture when they think “cleanup crew” 😂

But this is what it actually looks like.

A few buckets, some trash, and good people showing up.

Wouldn’t trade it. ♻️

03/16/2026

Spring break cleanup in the Wichita Mountains today.
It ended up being a really small group, which honestly worked out better than trying to push a huge crowd through busy trails. The refuge was packed with people enjoying the weather, so keeping it small meant we could just move through and quietly pick up trash without adding to the chaos.
Still pulled a good amount of stuff out of the grass and rocks. Bottles, wrappers, random plastic that somehow made its way out there.
Every piece matters.
Some of the plastic from cleanups like this eventually gets recycled into climbing holds and art through Second Ascent. Trash gets another shot at being something useful.
Nothing huge. Just a couple people showing up and doing the work.

03/16/2026

Spring break cleanup in the Wichita Mountains.
It ended up being a really small group, which honestly worked out better than trying to push a huge crowd through busy trails. The refuge was packed with people enjoying the weather, so keeping it small meant we could just move through and quietly pick up trash without adding to the chaos.
Still pulled a good amount of stuff out of the grass and rocks. Bottles, wrappers, random plastic that somehow made its way out there.
Every piece matters.
Some of the plastic from cleanups like this eventually gets recycled into climbing holds and art through Second Ascent. Trash gets another shot at being something useful.
Nothing huge. Just a couple people showing up and doing the work

02/27/2026

This is what happens when plastic stops being “trash” and starts being material.
We’re working toward this kind of impact here in Oklahoma.

02/27/2026

Second chances hit different.
Love seeing this space come back to life.

Because you’re wondering, “have they started setting routes?” Yes. Yes they have 😊.

01/10/2026

The sign’s trying its best.
So are we.
26 lb picked up around Medicine Park.

01/02/2026

Quiet start.
No big declarations.
No rush to be something new.
Just showing up.
Doing the work.
Letting what’s been broken become useful again.
Second Ascent begins this year the same way it always has —
slowly, intentionally, and with care.

12/25/2025

On the 12th day of Trashmas, the world gave me a place to stand.
This isn’t the end of the story.
It’s just the part where I know I’m meant to keep going.
And honestly, that’s the best gift I could’ve gotten this Christmas.