We are thrilled to announce that in December we successfully completed our International Base Camp Initiative. This very successful campaign funded long-term facility needs for our students; but, equally important, it broadened the community of friends that are ensuring the future success of NOLS and our mission. Our heartfelt thanks to all of the supporters, volunteers, steering committee members, advisory council members, trustees and staff for your support to achieve this goal.

The Base Camp campaign made it possible to build our new headquarters and to move all of our administrative staff under one roof. Our new workspace is functional and pleasant, reflects our conservation ethic, helps us nurture our community, and, most importantly, allows us to meet the needs of over 10,000 students each year. The campaign also funded the renovation of the Noble Hotel in downtown Lander, which has served as student and staff housing for 35 years. It is the place where students first come together and the “home” to which our students return at the end of their course. The century-old Noble was in desperate need of a renovation, and I am pleased to report that it is now ready for another chapter in its life.

Our conservation ethic was a key factor that influenced our facility plans and decision to renovate, and therefore reuse, the Noble. Similarly, in building our headquarters, we made numerous choices in materials and construction style that were green choices. Read about those strategies on page 3 and then go to page 8 for the Q&A with our public policy director, Jen Lamb, to learn more about our current Environmental Sustainability Initiative. In the last year, companies, organizations, individuals and communities worldwide have put an increased focus on environmental responsibility (maybe it is all those NOLS grads out there). We are pleased with this trend and are further motivated and inspired by these efforts. It caused us to take a new look at how we could improve our efforts for environmental sustainability, both in town and in the wilderness.

While I am pleased with our new green efforts, it remains very clear to me that our number one contribution is that of educating our students. Our graduates are active, engaged, and committed, and have found many ways to integrate their NOLS education into their lives. Whether it is outdoor skills, leadership lessons, expedition behavior, conservation ethics, or all of these, our graduates turn their education into action.

In this issue of The Leader, one of our book reviews is on Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. This book has received considerable attention, as it recognizes the drop in our children’s connection to the natural world and the disturbing problems connected to that trend. I think we all have compelling stories of how important the outdoors or wilderness has been to our personal growth. Hopefully we can spread that message, especially to the young people who are part of our lives.

With summer only a couple months away, I urge you all to make plans for your own trip in the outdoors. Give our catalog or website a look; another NOLS course or an alumni trip is the perfect way to get outside. Have a great summer! Message from the Director

We are thrilled to announce that in December, we successfully completed our International Base Camp Campaign. This very successful campaign funded long-term facility needs for our students, but equally important, it broadened the community of friends that are insuring the future success of NOLS and our mission. Our heartfelt thanks to all of the supporters, volunteers, steering committee members, advisory council members, trustees and staff for your support to achieve this goal.

The Base Camp campaign made it possible to build our new headquarters and to move all of our administrative staff under one roof. Our new workspace is functional, pleasant, reflects our conservation ethic, helps us nurture our community and most importantly, allows us to meet the needs of over 10,000 students each year. The campaign also funded the renovation of the Noble Hotel in downtown Lander, which has served as our student and staff housing in Lander for 35 years. It is the place where students first come together and the “home” to which our students return at the end of their course. The century-old Noble was in desperate need of a renovation, and I am pleased to report that it is now ready for another chapter in its life.

Our conservation ethic was a key factor that influenced our facility plans and decision to renovate, and therefore reuse, the Noble. Similarly, in building our headquarters, we made numerous choices in materials and construction style that were “green choices.” Read about those strategies on page 3 and then go to page 8 for the Q&A with our public policy director, Jen Lamb, to learn more about our current environmental sustainability initiatives as a school. In the last year, companies, organizations, individuals and communities are putting an increased focus on environmental responsibility (maybe it is all those NOLS grads out there). We are pleased with this trend and also further motivated and inspired by these efforts. It caused us to take a new look at how we could improve our efforts for environmental sustainability, both in-town and in the wilderness.

While I am pleased with our new “green” efforts, it remains very clear to me that our number one contribution is that of educating our students. Our graduates are active, engaged and committed and have found many ways to integrate their NOLS education into their lives. Whether it is outdoor skills, leadership lessons, expedition behavior skills, their conservation ethic, or all of these, our graduates have weaved these lessons into their life. 

In this issue of The Leader, one of our book reviews is on Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. This book has received considerable attention as it recognizes the drop in our children’s connection to the natural world, and the disturbing problems connected to that trend. I think we all have compelling stories of how important the outdoors or wilderness has been to our personal growth. Hopefully we can spread that message, especially to the young people we have contact with.

With summer only a couple months away, I urge you all to make plans for your own trip in the outdoors. Give our catalog or website a look, another NOLS course or an alumni trip is the perfect way to get outside. Have a great summer!

John Gans, NOLS Executive Director