Stories from the Field

Middle school teacher Mary Patterson still has her field journal from the 1978 trip she took to NatureBridge (formerly Yosemite Institute) with her Cupertino classmates for a week-long environmental science program. Today, Mary ensures that all 8th grade students from Longfellow Middle School in Berkeley, California have the same transformative opportunity.

NatureBridge's Karli Cowman is in her fifth year of her "dream job" as TEEM Manager. She recently caught up with some of the TEEM participants from her very first year with the program. Find out how the TEEM experience shaped these individuals.

This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Affiliate Organization Award is the California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE), an affiliate at which two NatureBridge members play a critical and influential role—Estrella Risinger and Reed Schneider.

Melissa Gayle, one of two NatureBridge leaders on the 2019 Armstrong Scholars program, reflects on the journey and the contributions of the Scholars during their time in Yosemite's backcountry.

After completing the Educator Development Program in Yosemite National Park this summer, Dana Delos Santos moved back east to be an educator at our Prince William Forest campus where she enjoys connecting city youth to the outdoors for the first time.

The tattooed, skateboarding principal of Fred M. Lynn Middle School, perhaps best known for his countercultural approach, is a champion for the students he serves and believes strongly in the transformative power of outdoor educational experiences.

Longtime partner REI donated 250 sustainable “Outdoors for Everyone Poncho” to our Olympic campus, helping all kids feel like they belong by ensuring that they stay dry and comfortable during programs in the often inclement Pacific Northwest weather.

For board member Kimberly McMorrow, her journey with NatureBridge has truly come full circle. A NatureBridge participant in the early days of the organization, Kimberly went on to accompany her own children on NatureBridge programs and today, she's bringing her insight and leadership to the board.

In this week's Lessons From the Field, we learn about local Bay Area marine life from NatureBridge's Rachel Loud as she shares about her more than a decade of volunteer experience with The Marine Mammal Center.