Welcome, Armstrong Scholars Leaders!
The Armstrong Scholars program is entering into a new year of leading journeys of self discover in the wilderness. This summer, a small group of young women will gear up for a life-changing trek through the High Sierra of Yosemite National Park, guided by skilled NatureBridge educators and the momentum of their own inner power. Each step expands the legacy of Joie Armstrong that has impacted the lives of hundreds of other young women before them. Read more about Joie and past program leaders and participants from our 50 Stories for 50 Years series here:
Part 1: Roses and Thorns
Part 2: Full Circle
Part 3 : It Couldn’t be Done
Part 4: The Hummingbird
2021 Armstrong Scholars Reflections
Each step expands the legacy of Joie Armstrong that has impacted the lives of hundreds of other young women before them.NatureBridge
This year, NatureBridge is proud to welcome Armstrong educators Amanda Adams and Kaitee Levinson. Their love of the program, strong backcountry experience, social emotional learning skills and commitment to equity and inclusion will serve them and the Scholars well as they explore the High Sierra and so much more together this summer.
In their words:
My vision for the outcome of this program is for my students to feel accepted as they are and to feel that they are part of a group of powerful women. To take what they learn from the wilderness and mesh it back into their lives as women in society is a special and unique opportunity. My hope is that they find their inner power and control, that they feel confident in their abilities to reclaim struggles for themselves—that they find strength by experiencing struggle and hardship within the context of a restorative, healing experience. —Amanda Adams
My vision would be for them to simply see from a new lens because that would mean that they have grown in self-awareness, compassion and empathy. Those are the most essential in building a better future. These participants will undoubtedly learn hard skills, but the soft skills are where we need to be focusing our time and energy. My measure of success is how they understand each other from beginning to end. My vision is one of fostering a community of empathy that leads to meaningful relationships with themselves and the natural world. I think it is important to create a space for these young women to learn from each other so they can feel empowered to learn from the world around them. —Kaitee Levinson
Stories
An Incredible 10th Anniversary of Evening on the Lake
On October 25, the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle buzzed with celebratory energy as over 300 NatureBridge guests and supporters gathered for the 10th anniversary of "Evening on the Lake," our signature Pacific Northwest fundraising event for our Olympic campus.
2024 Olympic Student of the Year: Ames Black O'Neal
We are thrilled to announce our 2024 Olympic Student of the Year: eighth grader Ames Black O'Neal.
Ames participated in a NatureBridge program with his seventh grade class from Portland, OR at our Olympic campus in spring 2024. As a self-described "nature nut," Ames was surprised by how much he learned at NatureBridge and how meaningful he found the hands-on, immersive experience to be. As he later reflected, "Learning is so much more impactful when you are surrounded by the subject matter."
In Memoriam: Bill Anders, Visionary Leader and Co-Founder of Yosemite Institute
Earlier this year, we mourned the loss of William “Bill” Anders, a true environmental champion and visionary leader whose impact resonated deeply for NatureBridge and society at large.
As a member of the historic Apollo 8 mission in 1968, Bill captured the iconic “Earthrise” photo—a stunning image of our small, delicate planet rising over the moon’s horizon. Reflecting on this moment, he remarked, “We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”