The Passing of a Giant: Matthew A. Baxter, Jr.
Andy Baxter, prince among men and one of the last true gentlemen, passed away in February 2022. Andy committed himself passionately to several organizations he held close to his heart—lucky for our mission and the students we serve, one of those organizations was NatureBridge.
Andy came to know NatureBridge through tragedy. His son Matt was a NatureBridge educator in Yosemite National Park. In 1999, Matt died in a rock climbing accident. Following his passing, the Baxter family established the Matthew A. Baxter, III Memorial Fund and the Baxter Award was born. The award inspires staff to dream their wildest dream, seek adventure, push their personal limits and impact the world. To date, over 65 staff members have had their dreams realized thanks to the generosity of the Baxter family.
Andy was tireless. He was unique in his ability to push NatureBridge to be better, to make a greater impact and to support our staff and the students we serve with ferocity and compassion. Andy joined NatureBridge’s Board of Directors in 2007. He served as Vice Chair and Treasurer, and was named Emeritus in 2021. His involvement with and support of NatureBridge was profoundly impactful and an inspiration to all. He made us all more generous and thoughtful, and he made NatureBridge a better organization. A celebration of Andy's legacy will take place on May 12, 2022 with NatureBridge friends.
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.