www.scholastic.com/actionmag | September 2016 9

NONFICTION/HISTORY

VOCABULARYhistorical: having to do with people or events of the past

jut: to stick out, up, or forward

dehydrated: dried out

heatstroke: a sickness caused by too much heat

ordeal: a very difficult test or experience Continued â

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Lost in

ValleyTwo teenagers were stranded in one of the most dangerous places on Earth. How did they survive? BY KRISTIN LEWIS

Gina Cooper (left) and Jenny Leung

LEXILE 430L

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Quiz(Lower Level)Quiz Vocabulary

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Text Evidence Text Evidence(Lower Level) Video Lesson Plan

Vocab Slide Show

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Death Valley is one of the hottest places

on Earth. The heat sucks the air from your

lungs. It burns the bottoms of your feet. Every

year, at least one person dies there.

In this desert, 17-year-old Gina Cooper, her

mother, Donna, and their friend Jenny Leung,

19, got lost. They had no cell phone service and

very little water. They were in great danger.

PAUSE AND THINK: Why were Gina, Donna, and Jenny in danger?

Extreme HeatJuly 22, 2010, started out fun.

Jenny was a student from Hong Kong. She

was spending the summer with Donna, who

lived in Pahrump, Nevada.

Donna liked showing Jenny around. They

had seen the Grand Canyon. Now they were

going to Death Valley National Park. The park

is on the border of California and Nevada.

They met up with Gina and headed for Scotty’s

Castle, a historical mansion in the park.

Death Valley is a strange and beautiful

place. Snowcapped mountains jut into the

sky. Sand dunes sizzle on the valley floor.

10 September 2016 | Scholastic Action

The desert stretches for thousands of miles.

Summer temperatures can reach 125 degrees.

Nearly 1 million people visit the park

each year. Most come during the cool winter

months. Gina, Donna, and Jenny knew that

visiting in July meant extreme heat. But it

would be a short trip. They would be in an

air-conditioned car. Donna packed food and

water for the day. She brought maps and

phone chargers. She had a first-aid kit.

She did not know they would soon be

fighting for their lives.

PAUSE AND THINK: How did Donna prepare for the trip?

What Went Wrong?The women visited Scotty’s Castle. They

left there at about 3 p.m. They decided to

drive to another Death Valley attraction. It

was called the Racetrack.

But they took a wrong turn. They were

supposed to be leaving the park. Instead,

they ended up heading into the mountains.

They were lost. Their maps and phones were

no help.

SCOTTY’S CASTLEGina, Donna, and Jenny visited Scotty’s Castle. The mansion was built in the 1920s as a vacation home for a wealthy couple. Today it is a museum filled with original furniture and decorations.

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The women drove for hours. Around

10 p.m., the car stopped running.

It seemed to be out of gas.

By now, their loved ones were worried.

Donna’s eldest daughter, Sky, 21, was

expecting a call from her mom. Donna didn’t

call. Sky knew something was wrong.

PAUSE AND THINK: What was the first thing that went wrong on the trip?

Bad NewsThe women spent the night in the car.

Around 6 a.m., Gina set out on foot to look for

help. Donna and Jenny searched for food. They

found pine needles and cactus. They ate the

pine needles. The cactus was too difficult to eat.

Two hours later, Gina came back with bad

news. She had seen car tracks but no people.

By now, the women had only a few sips of

water left. The heat was intense. Gina begged

her mom to try starting the car again. It

seemed pointless. Still, Donna tried.

Vroom!

The car sprang to life.

PAUSE AND THINK: What did Gina look for? What did she find?

The Search Begins

Sky went online. She viewed Donna’s

credit card statement. Donna had bought a

T-shirt at Scotty’s Castle the day before. Sky

realized that Donna was in Death Valley.

She contacted the California Highway Patrol

(CHP). The search began.

Gina, Donna, and Jenny kept driving. In

the distance, they saw a group of trees. The

trees were a splash of green in a sea of brown.

The women knew that if there were trees,

www.scholastic.com/actionmag | September 2016 11

HOPING FOR HELPThe women left the car on the road, hoping someone would see it.

LAND OF BEAUTY AND DANGERDeath Valley is on the border between Nevada and California. Many tourists visit the beautiful desert every year. And every year, at least one person dies there.

TheRacetrack

TeakettleJunction

Scotty’sCastleVisitorCenter

Pahrump

BadwaterBasin-282 ft(lowest point in North America)

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Area of the park

U.S.U.S.

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Continued â

there must be water.

They drove until they ran out of gas. This

time it was for good. Thankfully, the trees were

just a short hike from the car. But every step

hurt. It was at least 125 degrees. The ground

burned the women’s feet through their shoes.

Extreme heat is dangerous. When we

sweat a lot, we can get dehydrated. Our heart

rates speed up. Thinking becomes difficult.

Heatstroke sets in. Our bodies begin to shut

down. Without treatment, we can die.

But the women did not give up.

They made it to the trees. Nearby, they

found three trailers. There was a covered porch.

“The chance of finding that in the middle of

Death Valley was one in a million,” Gina says.

Inside a trailer, they found oatmeal. There

were also cans of beans, beer, and jerky. They

slept on the porch. In the morning, they found

a hose attached to a trailer. They turned it on.

Hot water gushed out. “It was the worst water

I’d ever tasted but also the best,” Gina says.

The women were stranded but alive. They

made it through a third day and night.

12 September 2016 | Scholastic Action

PAUSE AND THINK: What lucky things happened to the women?

Rescued!

July 25 was the women’s fourth day in the

park. Two CHP pilots were searching the area

by helicopter. But the pilots had little hope. Few

people could survive so long in the heat.

The pilots were about to give up. Then

they saw Donna’s car.

Donna and Gina heard Jenny screaming.

Gina ran over. Jenny was waving a blanket. A

helicopter was flying straight toward them.

They were saved.

It’s been six years since that ordeal in

the desert. Gina looks back on it with pride.

She says it made her more confident. Gina

survived something awful. Now she knows she

can deal with anything.

Says Gina, “You have to be thankful for

every day you get.” •

PAUSE AND THINK: How did getting lost in Death Valley change Gina?

DESERT SURVIVAL Scorpions are one of many creatures that can survive in the intense heat of Death Valley.

HOPE IS IN SIGHT Jenny walks to the trees. The camp (inset) would

provide desperately needed water.