Stories from the Field

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.

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."

Another great WildLink trip to a beautiful Wilderness area is in the books! This October, a group of exceptional high school students from Health Careers Academy in Stockton, CA ventured out for a week of adventuring in the wild lands of Yosemite’s high country. There they found new friends, resilient parts of themselves, sweeping mountain views, and even a deer swimming across a frigid alpine lake for seemingly no reason! They were joined by National Park Service Wilderness Ranger Jacob and NatureBridge educators Sarah and Sophia.