When Resources are in the Hands of Educators

The Washington Trails Association Outdoor Leadership Training Program launched their first snowshoe training in January with educators and youth workers from the Seattle area. One participant was Don Miller, an ELL Facilitator at Mount Rainier High School in Des Moines, WA. After the training, with the skills and gear he needed, Don took his students to Longmire and Narada Falls in Mount Rainier National Park for a winter adventure. 

"My main goal was for my students to have an enjoyable first experience in a National Park and in the snow. Additionally, I wanted them to have access to make a connection with this land since all of them were born in other countries. The minute we pulled into the park I knew these goals had been met. 

It was so great to see students playing and having fun with one another regardless if they spoke the same language or not. The fact that they were all exchanging numbers at the end of the trip so they could share photos really showed me how these students may spend the majority of the day together, but rarely do they get a chance to connect.

Without the help of the WTA Gear Library and Mini-Grant, this trip would have never happened."

- Don Miller

Thank you to Don and all those educators our there taking the time to get their youth outside! 

Photos by Amanda Sandate
 

WTA Kicks Off 2016 with Launch of Snowshoe Training

WTA's Chandrika Francis (kneeling) and participants from the first OLT Snowshoeing Workshop in January. Photo by Andrew Pringle

Originally published by Washington Trails Association

By pairing experiential workshops with access to a free gear library and mini-grants, WTA's Outdoor Leadership Training program supported more than 1,000 outdoor youth experiences on 45 trips in 2015.

The program's approach aims to fills in resource gaps for teachers and youth group leaders who want to lead incredible youth experiences in nature. This year, WTA has expanded the mix to support snowshoeing and backpacking.

When planning to lead youth outside, a test run is key

Last week, the first snowshoeing workshop kicked off on a wintry day at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park. Educators, ambassadors and program coordinators from Mount Rainier High School, YMCA, OneWorld Now!, Latino Outdoors, and Bastyr University joined WTA staff for the fun-filled day of learning and exchange. As snowflakes fell, participants learned what they'd need to know to plan their own independent snowshoeing trips for youth groups and families.

When asked what they found most useful about the brand new workshop, one participant reflected:

"It was experiential -- being out in the elements and actually doing a test run of the kinds of situations we could come across with our groups."

Huge thanks to Columbia, MSR, LEKI and KEEN for making it possible through generous gear sponsorship!

The new workshops will be in addition to the hiking and camping workshops already offered. Below are two new upcoming workshop dates to mark on your calendar. Be sure to register before they're full!

Backpacking Workshop
When: Friday-Sunday, July 8-10
What: A 3-day entry-level course that covers leading a backpacking experience with a youth group. ($60, scholarships available)
Where: North Cascades National Park
Register to join

Visit the Outdoor Leadership Training FAQ to learn more about what the OLT program does and how you can participate.

Save the Date: Outdoors Empowered Network 2016 National Summit

It's Official!

2016 National Summit in Chicago!!

NOVEMBER  3 - 4

REGISTRATION AND MORE INFO COMING SOON! 

Hosted by:  

The Forest Preserve of Cook County

• CONTACT

Forest Preserve District of Cook County Joins Outdoors Empowered Network

Chicago launches Camping Leadership Immersion Course to get kids outdoors

SAN FRANCISCO – January 25, 2016 – Outdoors Empowered Network (OEN), the largest national network of Member Organizations through which educators and youth leaders have access to wilderness training and free outdoor gear libraries, welcomes the Forest Preserve of  Cook County (FPCC), of Chicago, Ill., as the first member program in the Midwest. Chicago joins Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Boise, and Seattle in a growing number of cities with programs increasing much needed access to nature for youth. In 2015 alone, OEN’s programs have trained 318 youth leaders and empowered 10,000 youth participants to experience the outdoors through immersive backpacking and camping trips.

The FPCC is the first government agency and land manager to join the OEN, and is emerging as a national leader in the creation of programs to support their use by youth, families and community-based organizations. The Camping Leadership Immersion Course (CLIC), a program developed by the FPCC with support from OEN, provides a dynamic and affordable way to enrich the lives of young people through outdoor recreation and education. The goal of the CLIC program in the Chicagoland area, and that of the other OEN supported initiatives nationwide, is to provide outdoor experiences to youth who don’t often access public lands and overnight camping. 

“In 2015, the Forest Preserves of Cook County brought back public camping for the first time in fifty years with the opening of five new and revitalized campgrounds ,” said Arnold Randall, General Superintendent of the FPCC. “Despite being within the footprint of the third largest metropolis in the country, the FPCC manages more than 70,000 acres of natural land. Offering the CLIC program so close to an urban area is a valuable resource. Our partnership with OEN makes it possible for us to expose and immerse new and diverse audiences to camping, which can be a gateway to healthy and active living.” 

Read entire press release here.