Stories from the Field

When high schooler Rebecca Welch boarded a bus at 5 a.m. in a Safeway parking lot, she had no idea that she was about to embark on a journey that would forever transform her worldview, career path, and relationship with the outdoors. A quiet tenth grader from Burney, CA, Rebecca had never gone hiking, never camped, and rarely traveled outside her small rural community. But thanks to a teacher’s encouragement and a winning essay, she found herself en route to Yosemite National Park to take part in a NatureBridge program. Now a teacher herself, Rebecca credits the NatureBridge trip during her sophomore year with unlocking a whole new path for her future.

For many students, a few days and nights spent at NatureBridge represents their first deep dive into exploring the natural world. They hike among towering trees, collect scientific data within various ecosystems, reflect under starlit skies, and begin to see themselves not just as visitors to nature—but as part of it. A spark has been lit.

Jen Kidder, Campus Director at NatureBridge Olympic and longtime outdoor educator, knows that spark is often just the beginning of a life-long journey. “A NatureBridge experience can light a spark of interest in nature, in science, in spending time with new people,” she says. It can “build confidence that they belong. Later, that can open a door to new interests, career ideas, or maybe just the confidence to try something else new.”

I am thrilled, though not surprised, to report that the 2025 Armstrong Scholars are THRIVING!!! It was such a delight to see them glowing radiantly this past weekend when we, the Resupply Angels, arrived. They were standing arm in arm in a tight arc, singing the most beautiful round for us. SO precious! The round then transitioned into a boisterous rap-rendition dance party! After our collective laughter subsided, the Scholars greeted us with smiles, appreciation, and hugs for those they knew. Such warmth, such beauty, such joy!

NatureBridge is thrilled to welcome a group of dynamic new leaders to our National Board of Directors and Regional Boards. These all-volunteer roles are vital to our mission and governance of our organization by people who are inspired by outdoor education. Board members offer invaluable guidance and support across our campuses, helping us expand access to transformative environmental science experiences for young people across the country.

Keith Eshelman, Los Angeles-based founder and CEO of Parks Project, is also an active member of NatureBridge’s Yosemite regional board of directors. His stewardship journey began not in a boardroom, but at the trailhead of a closed trail in Big Sur, CA. Hoping to share an outdoor experience with his young daughter, Keith found the trail shut down—and it sparked a question that changed his life: How are we leaving parks and trails for the next generation?

When Dave Yacubian arrived at the windswept Marin Headlands in Northern California as a NatureBridge (formerly The Headlands Institute) Field Science Educator in 2001, he already had a deep connection to wild places. His initial connection—first sparked during a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in the Rocky Mountains that Dave participated in when he was 20 years old—has shaped a career dedicated to environmental education and the transformative power of the outdoors. Dave’s roots run deep with both NOLS and NatureBridge—and he sees powerful connections between the two organizations.