Stories from the Field

The Armstrong Scholars program began in 2000 with a clear, heartfelt idea: to honor Joie Armstrong, a NatureBridge (then Yosemite Institute) educator who was tragically killed at age 26, with an annual adventure in the national park where she’d once taught. For Kim Laizer and Heather Sullivan, both friends of Joie, it became something transcendent: a way for their friend to live on in spirit that would impact them and hundreds of other women for years to come.

My connection with NatureBridge goes back decades. In late October 1973, as a senior in high school, I joined 27 of my classmates for a week at Yosemite Institute. It wasn’t my first time exploring the great outdoors, or Yosemite for that matter, but it was magical. What made Yosemite Institute so special? Lots of things — learning lessons that wouldn’t have made any sense if we hadn’t actually experienced them, forming bonds with classmates (and teachers!) that never would have happened at school, the unique environment of the Crane Flat campus and the educators, those wonderful people who taught us so much while we just thought we were having fun. And oh my gosh, we had so much fun!

Yosemite National Park’s official philanthropic partner has been responsible for tens of millions of dollars of park improvements and programs over the years. From supporting wildlife management and cultural history to funding more than 60 NPS summer positions, the organization has played an integral role in maintaining and expanding the park’s beauty and mission.