Welcome
2009 Art of Mentoring
Summer's here and preparations for the September 2009 Art of Mentoring are in full swing with staff committing for the various programs and folks starting to sign up. It's looking like a good year for the Art of Mentoring and an experience not to miss. This year's Art of Mentoring is Wednesday September 23 - Sunday September 27, 2009. Go to the following link to find out more about the program including who's on staff so far this year!
VWS Vision Statement
Check out our latest version of our Vision Statement. Creating, re-creating and refining the Vision is a process that involves the entire community. With this in mind we invite you to read it over and use our "Contact Us" page to let us know what you think.
Ingwe's Path Scholarship Fund
The Vermont Wilderness School created Ingwe's Path Scholarship Fund in 2006 to support community members desiring to attend affiliate programs. For more information and applications go here: Ingwe's Path Scholarship Fund.
Looking for Mark Morey?
In Fall 2006, Mark Morey founded the Institute for Natural Learning, a sole-proprietorship, where you can now find him. The Institute explores ways of paving new paths for regional and national wilderness schools to follow. Some examples include: Boys Rites of Passage, Community and Elder development, Regional Networking among the Northeast wilderness schools, National Art of Mentorings, Native Relationships and Adult Apprenticeships.
www.IfNaturalLearning.com
The Vermont Wilderness School was founded on a commitment to building a powerful community of naturalists, teachers and leaders. Our programs go beyond traditional "environmental education" to help develop a deep understanding of self, community and nature, and in doing so, build healthy connections to the natural world and each other.
What we've been up to
It's summertime and that means being out in the woods nearly full time! We just completed and celebrated the return of Otter Day Camp. We had 19 campers and 4 staff out in the woods of Ft. Dummer State Park for a week of adventures, learning and growth. It was great having campers from previous years excited to be back at Otter Day Camp and even more affirming to have campers and parents alike asking us if we were sure that we weren't doing another week of camp this year. We envision having more weeks next year so keep an eye on our website!
Our various associated staff are working at a variety of affiliate camps throughout the summer. Amy Hyatt is working at the Grammar School Summer Program in Putney, Vermont representing Vermont Wilderness School (www.thegrammarschool.org). Neill Bovaird and Efan Hsieh are working day camps in Massachusetts through Neill's Wolf Tree Programs (www.wolftreeprograms.com). Tyler McNamara is down at Wild Earth Programs in Shawangunk Mountains (www.wildearthprograms.org). In addition to these day camps, Community Wilderness Initiative is offering an Oyase Community School Summer Session led by Brian Robertshaw, one of the co-founders of Vermont Wilderness School. Co-founder Luz Elena Morey is also offering day camps this summer, "Gaia's Nature Art Camps" (www.ifnaturallearning.com). In August, Amy Hyatt and Efan Hsieh will be leading Earthfriend Discovery Day Camp at the Manitou Project in Williamsville, VT (www.ManitouProject.org). So there's a lot of affiliate programs getting children out in the woods for the summer.
Even as we enjoy the summer, we are also at work setting up for the fall programming season. Art of Mentoring is in full swing lining up staff and getting the word out for folks to sign up for the adult workshop, Teen Rendezvous and Youth programs. Go to the Workshops and Events page for information on staff as well as the costs and dates. Art of Mentoring details Enrollment Forms are now available for the Oyase Community School 2009-2010 season--call the office for more information. And then we have a couple pilot programs in the work--stayed tuned for more information!
A message from the Vermont Wilderness School Board of Directors
New Message coming soon!