Joy Abounds at the 2024 Armstrong Scholars Resupply Rendezvous!
Editor's note: This message from Kim Laizer, Yosemite Education Manager, originally appeared in an email sent to Armstrong Scholars supporters. Visit our Yosemite Armstrong Scholars page to learn more about this annual program, which is inspired by and in memory of former NatureBridge environmental science educator Joie Armstrong.
A few days ago, I had the pleasure of hiking 6+ miles up 2,000 feet in elevation, by picturesque Barney Lake and Crown Point, with a team of eight wonderful humans who had volunteered to carry a resupply of food and various supplies to the 2024 Armstrong Scholars. Just before meeting the group, we painted our faces, as we Resupply Angels traditionally do, but this year we painted our faces like cats, knowing how much many of the Scholars love and miss their feline friends! We arrived at our meet-up location with joy in our hearts as the Armstrong Scholars serenaded us with a beautiful rendition of “Ain't No Mountain High Enough.” They were GLOWING!
Fresh tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, avocados, carrots, cheese, humus, baked tofu, and lunch meats were served with ciabatta and french rolls. And for dessert? A HUGE apple pie. This was an extra-special treat, especially after five days of so much freeze-dried food! While we feasted, we shared with one another a bit about ourselves and why we wanted to be a part of Armstrong Scholars. Such goodness!
To top things off, we Resupply Angels presented the Armstrong Scholars with their very own “disco shirts” so that they, like every other Armstrong Scholar since the program began in 2000, would be able to celebrate in style at the top of their next pass, to don colors of courage the next time they need to face their fears, or to weave daily memories into the fabric that they will take with them when they go their separate ways. Disco shirts are powerful, as are those who wear them.
As someone who was lucky enough to know Joie Armstrong, I know she would be so very proud of these young women. They’ve been challenged by long days, heavy packs, mosquitos, and thunderstorms, and yet they sang while hiking up Burro Pass in the moonlight. They’ve laughed wholeheartedly and found joy and beauty, even in the darkness.
The day was absolutely magical. Though thunderstorms were in the forecast, we were embraced by a bright blue bubble and given the time to celebrate one another as well as Joie, on the 25th anniversary of her passing. Her spirit, spunk, and light shine on!
Huge thanks to Armstrong leaders Mia and Felicity for their love and expert leadership, to the Resupply Angels for all their enthusiasm and strength, to parents and guardians for their encouragement and support, to all the NatureBridge staff who invest so much in making such good things happen, and to all the donors who continue to make the Armstrong Scholars program possible. I appreciate you more than you may know and look forward to seeing those of you who can make it at the closing campfire at Point Bonita this Friday!
Gulping life deeply,
Kim
Stories
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.
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.
"Science became fun" at NatureBridge for Alum Laura Lomeli Russert
Laura Lomeli Russert is a NatureBridge alum who grew up in Groveland, CA and now calls Washington, D.C. home. Laura’s journey with NatureBridge began when she attended the Golden Gate campus as a young student with her class from Tenaya Elementary. Laura credits NatureBridge with shaping not only her love for nature but also her passion for education and science. "Science became fun,” she recalls. “You weren’t learning from a textbook anymore, and it became so much more real." Her hands-on, scientific experiences at NatureBridge laid the foundation for her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D. in psychology. “I feel like I owe a lot to NatureBridge."