Eli Smith is an AmeriCorps Project Conserve member serving an 11-month term with Polk County Parks and Recreation. As a native of Morganton, N.C. his love for the North Carolina mountains led him to attend Appalachian State University ‘17 and major in Recreation Management as well as double minor in Geography and Sustainable Development. During his summers in college he completed an internship as an interpretive ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway and another as a recreation aid at a military outdoor adventure center in Maine. Service to local communities and stewardship to the environment motivated Eli to apply to the Trails Coordinator position. During this upcoming year Eli hopes to build a relationship with the community and to provide the highest quality of recreation to all populations. (photo submitted by Polk County Parks and Recreation)