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
In Memory of Ty Cobb: A Visionary Leader of Resilience and Impact
Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.
WildLink November 2024: Woodlake High School
This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.