to our world. - NOLS

WELCOME FROM THE DIRECTOR
“
COME TO NOLS TO
LEARN THROUGH
EXPERIENTIAL
EDUCATION HOW
TO BE A REAL
LEADER IN THIS
WORLD.
”
In a world consumed by technology and modernization it has become easy and commonplace
to forget about our natural surroundings. Convenience and comfort have become the norm,
and our connection to nature has suffered. At NOLS, students get excited about leaving those
amenities behind and experiencing our planet by learning in a hands-on setting.
Instead of taking a passive role in your life, come to NOLS to learn through experiential
education how to be a real leader in this world. We'll show you the value of being
an active participant rather than a static observer. For over 45 years NOLS has been leading
trips into the wilderness, and students have continually returned home with the tools
needed to succeed in their lives to come.
By summiting tall mountains or descending exhilarating whitewater, by climbing steep
crags or exploring deep caves, NOLS will provide the support you’ll need to find success.
Throughout your course you will be challenged as well as taught to turn those challenges into
opportunities. You will become a leader in your own life and connected to the natural world
around you. Your strengths will become noticeable and you’ll harness the ability to confront
your weaknesses. No matter your skill level or experience, NOLS has a course for you.
What we do here at NOLS is take the path less traveled; we choose to explore and
embark on adventures that change lives. So grab your pack and join us this year for an
educational trip that you’ll talk about for the rest of your life!
John Gans
NOLS Executive Director
NOLS Board of Trustees | Tori Murden McClure, Chair • F. Fox Benton III, Vice Chair • Jane F. Fried, Secretary • Kei Yamamoto,
Treasurer • Joseph P. Allen • Douglas E. Dalquist • AJ Grant • Jay Jacobs • Jonathan Kleisner • William C. Murdock • Robert W. Nimmo
• Herbert G. Ogden, M.D., Medical Advisor • Michelle Sarti • Edward M. Schmults • Diana McCargo • Kate Gunness Williams • Amy E.
Wyss • Joan K. Chitiea, Trustee Emeritus • Homer L. Luther, Chairman Emeritus • Gene R. Tremblay, Chairman Emeritus
The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is a private, nonprofi t, educational corporation. NOLS is an organization described in
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and all contributions to NOLS are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Facing Page: The learning process doesn't stop with the setting sun as students dig into their wilderness library in the darkness of their tents. Wind River Range, Wyoming
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