So, What’s New in Elko?

Perhaps you have had the opportunity to meet our brand new AmeriCorps members Kelsey Keema and Jessie Thomas.  Kelsey and Jessie showed that not all girls are squeamish around worms while training Kindergarten scientists studying earthworms this past month.  

The students sang songs, made pipe cleaner earthworm models, moved like a giant earthworm, and most importantly studied earthworms first hand inspecting them close up with magnifying glasses.  Squeals of excitement and joy echoed across the classrooms as the kids attempted to hold the worms while the worms tried desperately to wiggle away. 

Through close observation, the kids learned that earthworms do not have eyes, but can sense light with their photoreceptive cells. It was a great hands-on learning experience for both the students and our new AmeriCorps members.  

Also new, the Nevada Outdoor School Elko is growing such that we are moving into our own office space.  Many thanks to the Elko Parks and Recreation Department for providing office space this past year and a half.  With their assistance, we have been able to grow in a sheltered environment, making connections and learning about the Elko/Spring Creek community.  

The new NOS Elko office is located at 2363 5^th Street #102.  As we grow, we will continue collaborating with Elko Parks and Recreation Department on many programs including Elko Explorers and summer camps.

Happy Trails!

-The Nevada Outdoor School Elko Team

Reflecting on being an AmeriCorps Service Member

The AmeriCorps program has helped me grow in so many ways. When I became an AmeriCorps member in the year of 2016 I was a very shy person. I was not comfortable making conversions with others or to speak out loud in public. As an AmeriCorps member we encounter with so many people daily whether it is at the office or at meetings. Since I was in that environment more often than usual it helped me feel comfortable and confident with myself. I was able to make conversations with others without feeling nervous. Being able to come out of my comfort zone is amazing because now I will be able to be more social and that is all thanks to the AmeriCorps program.

 

 

Being an AmeriCorps member serving at Frontier Community Action Agency has been such an amazing experience. Being able to impact someone’s life is truly an incredible feeling. There is a lot of people who are so grateful for what I do for them and even more grateful when they see that I am an AmeriCorps member. I love being able to help others and if it wasn’t for being an AmeriCorps member I wouldn’t be making a change in someone’s life. I have always had a passion to help others, but my passion has grown so much more being an AmeriCorps member serving at FCAA.

 

If it wasn’t for the AmeriCorps program and FCAA. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I am a lot more confident with myself and stronger than ever. It has been such a life changing experience being an AmeriCorps member serving at Frontier Community Action Agency. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. I have been an AmeriCorps member serving at FCAA for two years and its been an incredible journey.

-Angelica

Finding Inspiration and Motivation in the Outdoors

During the spring and summer of 2015, I was just beginning my experience in the field of outdoor education. I had spent nearly two years of job searching, where I had intentions of becoming a high school history teacher. However, after two years of substitute teaching and working in other positions that weren’t really leading anywhere, I decided it was time for something different. That April, I accepted a seasonal position teaching outdoor education in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It was here that I learned many of the skills and topics that led me to where I’m at today, but what truly motivated and inspired me was the beauty of the mountains. 

Surrounded by people that were close to my age that had the same interests as me, we made it a point to spend our days off exploring the surrounding areas. I remember within a few days after arriving, I took my kayak to a nearby lake surrounded by mountains. I quickly realized how quick mountain weather can change when I had to hurry and get off the lake when a hail storm came in. A few days later, we hiked near the Town of Grand Lake. The trail opened up into a large meadow with streams running through it, near the base of Shadow Mountain. Other hikes included an early morning trip up a mountain after a fresh snow, several days in Rocky Mountain National Park hiking to places like Emerald Lake, and spending an evening at a campfire on the top of a lonely mountain. 

One of my favorite moments came as I was traveling back from Longmont after visiting family. It was late at night when I stopped at the parking lot on the top of Trail Ridge Road. I was surprised to see how many other people were there, but soon realized what was happening. It was around the middle of August and the Perseid meteor shower was at its peak. I stood outside for nearly an hour, watching the dozens of long, bright meteors shoot across the sky. It was an amazing experience that I’ll never forget. 

I’m sure other people have similar experiences where they’ve found inspiration and motivation in the natural beauty that surrounds them. Before I moved to Colorado, I was tired, bored, and mentally exhausted after being stuck working in jobs that I didn’t feel were meaningful or leading me anywhere. For me, exploring the beauty of the Rocky Mountains changed my outlook and attitude and began my career in outdoor education. It’s difficult to explain a personal connection you feel to experiences like listening to an elk bugle, taking in the view after you’ve climbed your first fourteener, or standing 1,000 feet above a canyon on the Royal Gorge Bridge. The outdoors offers countless experiences that can motivate and inspire you. 

Happy Trails!

-Bigfoot