Teens Westward Bound THE Trip 2021!
Hello America, meet your 2021 TWB counselors and directors! We are so excited to learn everything there is to know about you while traveling America this summer. For now, here is a little information about us. We cannot wait to see you on July 10th! Let's go west!!
Grant Deaton- Program and Trip Director-Site Managers
HELLO AMERICA! My name is Grant Deaton and this is my 21st year traveling across this amazing country with TWB. I started going out west in 1996 and 1997 as a participant. In 2001, I began traveling as a counselor and became the tour director in 2003. It was such an honor and privilege to take on the role of Program Director in 2016. Words cannot express how excited I am about traveling out west again this summer with such an incredible group of young people. We are going to have a blast!
I have worked as a Marketing teacher for 13 years in North Carolina. I enjoy golfing, mountain biking, backpacking, as well as hanging out with my family and dogs. My wife, Kitch, and I are extremely blessed to have four wonderful little boys in our lives. Connor (10 years old), Brandon (8 years old), Samuel (6 year old) and Grayson (2 years old) bring so much joy to our family. I will miss them so much this summer.
Enjoying every minute of life is so important to me. Going out west every year with the best young people God has to offer is the best way to spend a summer in my mind. I can't wait to see you soon!!
HELLO TWB!!!!! I am SO EXCITED FOR TWB 2021!!!!
I’m Dallas Godbold and I am from TWB Headquarters, Mooresville, NC! I had the amazing opportunity to go on TWB in 2010 and it forever changed my life. This is my fifth summer traveling out west as a staff member! To say I am excited about traveling out west again with you all again, is definitely an understatement!!!
I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in May of 2015 with a degree in Elementary Education! I loved Greensboro so much, I have lived here ever since college! I just finished my sixth year teaching 4th grade at Jamestown Elementary! I am so thankful that being a teacher allows me to travel with YOU!
Some of my favorite things include….ICE CREAM, coffee, and Reese’s! I love spending time with my family. I have 4 siblings, so we are always having fun in the Godbold house!! I am a big fan of all things glitter, sunshine, and positivity! I also love spending time during the summer at the beach.
I know I am not the only one who is counting down the days until we get on the bus, especially after the year 2020. I hope you are ready for a special summer, I promise it will be a summer you will ALWAYS remember! We are going to have 23 days filled with sunshine, happiness, and excitement. See you on JULY 10th!!!!!!!
John Miller (TWB 2013 Trip 2)- Bus Packers
After graduating from McMichael High, I went on to Wingate University to pursue a degree in dealing drugs, ooops I mean Pharmacy! I received my Doctor of Pharmacy and work as a Clinical Consultant Pharmacist that services nursing and assisted living facilities across North Carolina, Virginia, & West Virginia. I also push pills at Walmart two to three days a week. During my time at Wingate, I had the opportunity to travel a tremendous amount abroad. My studies allowed me to travel through the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, but nothing excites me more than traveling across our beautiful country with the best high school students around!
An easy description of myself would be a sports fanatic and avid outdoorsman! I am an Eagle Scout and still active with the BSA via the Junior Firefighter program at my local Fire Department where I volunteer. In my free time, I enjoy kayaking, hiking, relaxing on the lake, and being a beach bum. I looove coffee and tea, but unfortunately good tea is only east of the Mississippi!
Looking forward to meeting you all and having a great adventure out west!
Aubrey Nealey (TWB 2013 Trip 2)- Dishwashers
Hey Guys! My name is Aubrey Nealey and I can’t wait to be your counselor this upcoming Summer! Who isn’t ready to travel after this crazy year? I am originally from Wilmington, NC but moved to Boone 5 years ago. I graduated from Appalachian State University in ’18 with a degree in Psychology. I loved Boone so much I decided to stay and make it my home. Have you seen Boone during Fall peak week? That along will convince you to move, I promise. I went on my first TWB trip in 2013 (Trip 2). I almost didn’t go but thankful my parents pushed me out of my comfort zone and it was the best experience of my life. I got to meet some cool people, see amazing places, and found my passion for traveling. One thing I am going to miss most while having the best summer with you guys is my 1-year old puppy, Memphis. Don’t be surprised if you see a little corgi head popping out of my suitcase (shhh just don’t tell anyone). If I’m not spending time with Memphis, you can usually find me on the Blue Ridge Parkway, dancing at music festivals, or running. I can’t wait to meet all of you on July 10th!!!
Kayleigh-Scarlett Hopper (TWB 2012 Trip 2)- Bloggers
Hello TWB! I'm Kayleigh-Scarlett Hopper or KS as most people call me (even my parents), and I am so excited to be going out west with all of you this summer. I went on TWB in 2012 on trip 2 as a participant and this summer will be my second trip out west as a counselor. Shout out 2018 trip 4! There are certain moments that stand out in your life and TWB is definitely one of those moments. It instilled a love of travel, meeting new people, and seeing new places that has forever changed me.
I grew up in Cherryville, NC with my parents and two brothers. I talked about TWB so much that my brother Aulden decided to go west in 2016. I now reside in Raleigh and I am a first-grade teacher in Wake County. I absolutely LOVE teaching and my first graders! I graduated from NC State with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education (2018) and with a master's degree in Literacy (2019.) GO PACK! I love to attend Wolfpack sporting events, spend time outside especially on a beach, sing karaoke (T Swift has nothing on me), and spend time with my family and friends.
Get ready for the trip of a lifetime! You will laugh, cry, sing, dance, sweat, and maybe even get a little sleep. See you July 10th!
*pro tip: pack your clothes in ziplock bags, in case your suitcase gets wet! You never know when a Grand Canyon monsoon will appear :)
McKenzie Kimery (TWB 2015 Trip 1)- Bus Cleaners
HEY HEY HEY! My name is McKenzie Kimrey and I am STOKED to be a first-time counselor for your trip this summer! I went out west back in 2015, and knew I wanted to hop on that bus the very next chance I got. I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and am a recent 2021 graduate from the best University in NC. GO WOLFPACK! I graduated from NC State with a major in Human Biology and a minor in Sports Science. With this, I plan to take a gap year this year and apply to graduate school for physical therapy next fall. In the meantime, I am planning on obtaining my observation hours that I missed due to COVID-19 circumstances and hopefully travel...A LOT! Teens Westward Bound sparked my love of travel and adventure, and I can’t wait to share this love with you guys! In my free time, I love to hang out with my new baby niece and family, play sports (go NCSU club softball!), go hiking or take our apartment dog on walks, and chill with friends! With the current times in our world, this is an exceptional time to finally get out and explore our beautiful country, while meeting new friends that will soon become family. I can't wait to see what this summer has in store for us! GET HYPE GET HYPE!!!
