National Outdoor Leadership School - Index

National Outdoor Leadership School - brochure - Index

2
THE
THE
Leader
Leader
Joanne Kuntz & Cara Rudio
Editors
Rich Brame
Alumni Relations Manager
John Gans
NOLS Executive Director
Jessica Fuller
Editorial Intern
The Leader is a newsletter for alumni of the
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS),
a nonprofit school focusing on wilderness
skills, leadership and environmental ethics.
Published three times a year, each issue is
mailed to approximately 50,000 NOLS
alumni and an additional 10,000 prospective
students. NOLS graduates living in the U.S.
receive a free subscription to The Leader for life.
The Leader accepts paid advertising, and
welcomes article submissions and comments.
Please address all correspondence to the Editor
at leader@nols.edu, or (307) 332-8800. Direct
address changes to the Alumni Office at
alumni@nols.edu, or (800) 332-4280. For the
most up-to-date information on NOLS, visit
www.nols.edu or e-mail admissions@nols.edu.
The Leader is printed locally on newsprint
with a minimum 40% post-consumer-waste
recycled content. A paperless version is also
available online at www.nols.edu/alumni/leader.
We are committed to continually exploring
environmentally-friendly production methods.
WHO’S THIS?
Recognize this person? The first 10 people to figure
it out will receive a free NOLS t-shirt. Call the
Alumni Office at (800) 332-4280.
Last issue’s answer to “Who’s This?” is Rob
Hellyer. Rob was one of the first NOLS instructors
in 1965 and was instrumental in the founding of
NOLS with Paul Petzoldt.
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Proving that NOLS really is one of the best places to work:
staff enjoying a day of skiing at our annual wellness day.
Spring is in the air in Wyoming and with it comes
the energy and anticipation of the upcoming summer
season. Summer is an exciting time at NOLS as it
is still our busiest season for wilderness education expeditions.
Along with the arrival of many students comes
the return of many long-term staff who teach for us exclusively
in the summer season. It’s a warm reunion of
a very tight community of friends and colleagues. In
catching up with returning staff, they always seem to
comment on three key factors that draw them back to
NOLS like a powerful magnet: the NOLS mission; the
chance to work in the world’s most spectacular classrooms;
and the community of people, both staff and
students, they get to work with in and out of the field.
Our strong mission, spectacular classrooms, and
passionate community were all factors that I believe
helped lead to our recent selection as one of Outside’s
Best Places to Work in 2008. This recognition program
was created by Outside magazine in partnership
with the Outdoor Industry Association and Best
Companies Group. They selected the 30 best employers
in the country that create a great work environment
and are also environmentally-friendly
businesses. For the nominated companies they anonymously
interviewed all full-time staff to evaluate the
employee experience.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES
Filling the Gap: Finding Focus during a NOLS Gap Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Putting the Environment Back in Education: Refocusing on Outdoor Education Curricula . . . . . . . . . . .6
Cabalgata Sin Represas: A Community Coming Together for a Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Traveling with Kids: Tips for Going Remote with the Whole Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
DEPARTMENTS
Brad Christensen
Companies from across the nation entered the
process, and NOLS was selected as one of the ten best
medium-sized companies. There were also ten companies
selected on the small-sized list and ten on the
large list. I believe we were the only nonprofit organization
that received this recognition. For more information
and a complete list of companies and their
rankings, I urge you to pick up the May 2008 issue of
Outside magazine.
I want to thank all of you for your part in helping
NOLS receive this recognition. Our students,
staff, alumni and friends all play a key part in our continual
improvement as an educational organization
and as an employer. You all have high standards and
you hold high expectations of what NOLS should be.
Speaking of high standards, in this issue you will
find an update from Jen Lamb, our public policy director,
on our sustainability initiative at NOLS. Certainly
all of you are familiar with our Leave No Trace
curriculum in the field, but you may be less familiar
with our sustainability efforts in town. We recently received
the results of our sustainability audit conducted
by an independent firm that identified both our successes
and targeted priorities for further improvement.
These efforts were certainly noticed by Outside magazine,
but most importantly, these efforts help us live
our organizational values on a daily basis.
While many of our courses for summer are already
full, there are still opportunities to come to the
wilderness and learn outdoor skills and leadership
while gaining greater knowledge of public lands and
yourself. The Cascades, Prince William Sound, the
Wind River Range and the Kimberly Region of Australia
all look different, but they are all classrooms that
deliver amazing educational experiences. It’s summer
school the way it should be! Come join our returning
staff as part of the NOLS community this summer.
Special people and special places leading to special experiences.
It’s an inspiring time of year to be involved
with NOLS.
John Gans, NOLS Executive Director
WILD SIDE OF MEDICINE: Keeping Kids Comfortable Come Rain or Shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
ISSUE ROOM: New Legislation Brings Students Back to Nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Q&A: The Ford Family on Growing up NOLSie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
ALUMNI PROFILE: Embracing the NOLS Lifestyle with the Lehmann Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
BOOK REVIEW: Kids Go Wild: Adventures in the Canadian Rockies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
RECIPE BOX: Apple Bombs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
BOOK REVIEW: Wyoming Road and Recreation Atlas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
GEAR ROOM: Defending Kids from the Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
FIELD NOTES: NOLS Grads Hit the Trail in the Name of Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
JABBERWOCKY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
ALUMNI HAPPENINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
BRANCH NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
BELAY OFF: Reconnecting on a NOLS Alumni Fishing Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20