The Eagle Newsletter Fall 2021 by Eagle's Nest Foundation

EAGLE’S NEST CAMP

THE EAGLE

THE OUTDOOR ACADEMY

HANTE ADVENTURES

The Eagle’s Nest Foundation Newsletter FALL 2021

Building Bridges

IN THIS ISSUE: Bridging OA’s Curriculum Pg. 2

Mo’s Legacy Pg. 4

Camp in 2021 Pg. 6

New Faces at the Nest Pg. 8

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PROMOTING THE NATURAL WORLD AND THE BETTERMENT OF HUMAN CHARACTER

“Bridging” OA’s Core Curriculum “For something to truly change your mind, it has to present some relevance or challenge to your life.” It’s a cool September afternoon here at The Outdoor Academy, and the students of Semester 53 are circled up among the Rhododendrons in Cornerstones Grove. “Sure,” a student nods in response to her classmate. “And that’s why it’s so hard to change people’s minds sometimes.” Currently, the class is engaged in a heated discussion ranging from perspectives on cartography to analyzing Magritte’s classic “This is not a pipe” painting to discussing why humans tend to personify nature even in scientific observations.

Environmental Science and US Environmental History - but the faculty have also implemented an entirely new curricular cornerstone. They’re calling it OA Core.

“What we’re doing is making school more like life,” mused English and History teacher Chelsea when I stopped by a faculty planning meeting earlier this week. “Life is interdisciplinary, so we’re trying to make school interdisciplinary.” At the center of this endeavor is the weekly full-semester meeting I witnessed out in the woods. The afternoon-long “Bridge” class is co-taught by all three teachers and blends together OA’s three core disciplines of English, History, and Science. But how did this come about? And why now?

“It’s like the chapter from Braiding Sweetgrass,” says another student, referencing their recent Environmental Science reading as the conversation expands to include the small, manageable topic of cultural identity formation. The theme of the past year and a half at Eagle’s Nest, broadly, has been challenge followed by rebirth and As I sit on a nearby stump and listen in, my own powers of renewal. We have seen this played out on the organizational scale as the pandemic continues to inspire scientific observation are being tested. What am I witnessing? Is this a philosophical tangent during one of innovations, as well as on the OA classroom level. When Ted Wesemann announced his retirement last spring, the Emily’s Environmental Science classes, where yesterday first thought that many of us had was, “Wait, what is the students were dashing across campus through the rain on a quest to find the best cattail marsh on property? going to happen to Ted’s Natural Science class?” Or is it a snippet of Chelsea’s powerful Literature & OA Director Glenn DeLaney acknowledges that Ted’s Writing course? Or, perhaps, one of Tyler’s new US transition was tough. Also, he’s happy to report that both Environmental History seminars? Ted and the remaining faculty saw the change as the catalyst for new growth and opportunity. The answer: all three. This semester, OA faculty Chelsea Staunton, Emily Northrop, and Tyler Pace are modeling innovation at its finest. Not only is OA offering two new classes -

“We have been setting the stage for this curriculum shift for years,” he says. “Ted’s retirement, then shifting our classic Environmental Seminar curriculum over to

By Katie Rowlett, Interim Admissions Director

Science and freeing up new curriculum space for US History, that perfect storm really freed us up to press ‘Go’ on this whole idea. We now have this interdisciplinary space where curriculum and essential questions are all combined together. It will really just blow your mind.”

Back in Bridge class, the conversation is getting big. A student raises his hand, eyes alight, as the topic touches upon the harm of regional stereotypes. “This discussion is so relevant and important. We need to have a whole other meeting about it!”

Thus, this summer found Chelsea, Emily, and Tyler spearheading the creation of OA Core. When I asked them about the process, they mostly remembered a growing sense of excitement.

From across the circle, Emily grins. “Let’s do it!”

“When we first started planning this class, we were having so much fun passing ideas back and forth and just jiving,” Emily reminisced. “We wanted to show the students how much fun we have bridging our own disciplines.” Chelsea agreed. “Previously I was constantly thinking, ‘Well, I want OA students to study this, so I guess I can just do that in my World History class.’ But it makes the most sense to do it altogether because things don’t happen in silos in the real world. Environmental science is impacted by environmental history. The way we write narratives impacts and controls the way we study climate change. It’s complex and exciting.”

“I want to model that excitement and have students engage with each other in the same way,” says Emily. “I want them to discuss things they’re interested in from class while they’re hanging out in the evening. That’s always been a part of life at OA, but maybe now it can be on the next level.”

What I’ve witnessed on campus this week has convinced me that Bridge is a truly transformative addition to our curriculum. For example, after a few minutes more of discussion, each student found a spot in the woods to practice nature journaling. One student lay on his stomach in the leaf litter to diagram from an insect’s perspective. Another blindfolded herself to try and focus in on her sense of hearing. By going from intense, Socratic discussions to detailed investigation of their environment, these students are living out OA’s mission: hands-on, experiential education at its finest. Allow me one final example: At this week’s Community Circle, a student proposed creating an updated set of trail maps for our 182-acre campus because, in his words, “Cartography is so cool.” “Cartography?” repeated another, perking up as the word rang a bell in the back of their mind. I watched as the same thing happened around the room. “Whoa, it’s like Bridge class!” one student shouted, voicing everyone’s thoughts. “Sense of place, and maps, and scientific observations but, like, in the real world!” Experiential education at its finest, indeed.

The Housing and Office Building has a name! Mo’s Hillside, in memory of Moseley Waite By Cara Varney, Development Director Eagle’s Nest Foundation and the Board of Directors are excited to announce the naming of our newest building! The housing and office building, located behind Cheoah and Cabin 6, was completed in the spring of 2020 and welcomed summer staff and OA offices shortly thereafter. It is now being used year-round by both Camp and OA staff and faculty. This new building is now named Mo’s Hillside in honor and memory of Dr. Benjamin Moseley Waite who spent his life associated with Eagle’s Nest in some capacity or another. Mo’s early days found him working in the camp laundry moving on to cabin counseling where he touched many lives. In later years, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Camps for Children with Diabetes and served multiple decades on the Board of Trustees. His quick mind and keen eye for detail kept Eagle’s Nest on a strong path. Mo was a gifted teacher and administrator, and to honor him by naming a space in this building as well as the building itself, is a privilege for both the Waite family and for a place that was close to his heart. For years to come, those who walk the breezeway of this new facility will look up and ask about Mo. His story and all that he gave to Eagle’s Nest will carry on to future generations. “He was a great man who is sorely missed, but the good he brought to this world will live on in us all. To carry on all that he did will be an honor and a high task – in his memory we will do it,” says Noni Waite-Kucera, Mo’s daughter. Benjamin Moseley (Mo) Waite, PhD died on February 3, 2017. He was a scientist, educator and conservationist. In 1950, Mo’s parents Dr. Alex and Hannah Waite chartered Eagle’s Nest Camp as a nonprofit (founded in 1927), Mo continued the legacy by serving on the ENF Board of Trustees for over 35 years. Scientist, ceramicist, furniture maker, gardener, pickler, blueberry farmer, white water paddler, world traveler, bibliophile; Mo’s interests and talents ranged as wide as the circle of people who respected and loved him.

Inspiring Growth, Nourishing Community, Enriching Lives: Updates from the Development Office Greetings from the Development Office! Here in Pisgah Forest, we are welcoming the seasonal shifts of cooler temperatures and the start of fall color, giving Semester 53 students a picturesque backdrop to their outdoor classrooms on campus as well as their off campus treks. While 2021 has presented its unique challenges, we continue to be humbled by this community’s continued generosity and support. We are incredibly thankful that we were able to successfully and safely welcome campers back onto campus this summer. It was a much-awaited (and much needed) Camp season, which took so much care and planning on the part of staff, faculty, campers and their families. Because of everyone’s willingness to work together, we are so proud to have had another fun-filled summer and to reconnect with our campers and their families on campus. While 2021 will be remembered for a number of reasons, one milestone we will always hold dear is Ted Wesemann’s retirement after 27 years at The Outdoor Academy. Ted is The Outdoor Academy’s founding director and at the heart of OA. In honor of Ted and to celebrate his retirement, we launched the “Ted’s Deck” initiative and began fundraising for the Sun Lodge Renovations Project. The Sun Lodge and “Ted’s Deck” campaign are ongoing, and building will take place in two phases beginning in 2022 and will be completed in 2023.

Eagle’s Nest was a place near and dear to his heart, and it’s only fitting that his legacy is commemorated in this new building; Mo’s Hillside. This great man will live on in the smiling faces of everyone who calls this place home.

YOUR Impact at a glance: $536,220 in scholarship awards in 2021 to campers and OA students 40% of all aid given is funded by donors $36,788 raised for renovations to the Sun Lodge in honor of Ted! Goal = $110,000 (for windows, deck and updates) 4

$389,220 donated in 2020 by donors!

How We Opened Camp in the Summer of 2021 By Paige Lester-Niles, Camp Director

Last June, after nearly two years and with great anticipation, Eagle’s Nest Camp opened our gates to our first group of campers for the summer of 2021. It was a glorious day! Like most years, it was a day filled with excitement and a good amount of nerves, but unlike other opening days, returning campers didn’t bound up the stone stairs with their parents, eager for a smile and hug from old friends, and new campers didn’t carefully clutch their pillows as they arrived on campus for the first time. This year Noni and I greeted our campers in a drive through processional. We smiled behind masks, blinked back tears of joy, and waved vigorously as one car after another made it through a number of checkpoints before making it to the “Hug Goodbye Spot” at the bottom of the steps that lead to the Dining Hall. It wasn’t a traditional drop off, but it was probably even more exciting. After two years, and during a pandemic, we were opening camp to a full session of campers! In March of 2020, as schools began to close and we isolated ourselves in our homes with hopes that we would be able to quickly emerge to resume “normal” activities, the camp team began to worry that it may not be possible to open in just a few short months. It seemed unfathomable to not have kids on campus, to miss lunchtime singing and dancing at Lodge, but we also couldn’t imagine how we would be able to keep our campers, staff and community healthy. Ultimately, we weren’t able to open camp for campers for the summer of 2020. Instead, we hosted a small number of families for 5 different “Family Retreats” throughout the summer. The retreats were a lovely way for us to get to know some of our camper families, to welcome alums back to campus, and to give our guests a respite from the myriad of challenges that the pandemic presented. Family Retreats also gave us the opportunity to begin to create protocols for running a program in the face of COVID-19. By the end of the summer of 2020 and into the early fall, the Camp Team had already attended multiple webinars about mitigating the risks of COVID-19. We had Zoomed with other camp directors, and read and reread guidance from the American Camp Association, the CDC and the Association for Camp Nurses. We were DETERMINED to open camp for the summer of 2021. We knew that we needed camp, and more importantly, that our campers needed to be in a safe place

where they could be with friends, laugh and play, and put the stress, anxiety and challenges that they were facing aside. We felt optimistic that the course of the virus would be dramatically reduced before the summer, but we were also prepared to make plans to keep our camp community safe if it was not. Throughout the year, we continued to learn about best practices for operating a program during COVID-19. It wasn’t easy to consider how we would bring nearly 200 people together each session for a residential program during a time when we were being told to distance ourselves from others.

been able to run successfully. We took what we learned and began to apply that to our own operations. We created robust screening systems; all campers and staff members were asked to isolate and screen for symptoms for the two weeks prior to arrival. They each took PCR tests 72 hours before arrival and then again 5 days after being on campus, and we all screened for symptoms each day of camp. We also created ways to be together while being “distant.” We created four different cohorts that we called our “Forest Groups” - the Rhododendron, Beeches, Pines and Oaks.

For example, the camp musical usually includes a cast that is made up of all ages of campers. With our need to stick to small cohorts, we weren’t able to have a musical class. Instead, we ran a Musical Twilight. Each night a different cabin would learn a different musical number from “Madagascar.” A set design class made up of our older campers prepared and hung the set on the decks outside of Wayah and Cheoah. Counselors learned the lines for each of the characters. On the night of the musical, we spaced out on Cabin 7 Field and laughed and cheered as we watched the cabins and counselors present the first camp musical that the entire camp was part of. It was just one of many magical moments that made the summer extra special. One of the biggest challenges we faced was transportation and leaving campus. It’s difficult to stay 6 feet apart in a camp bus! But we were able to create a schedule that allowed many campers to head out to the local forests with Walks and Waterfalls, Canoeing and Rock Climbing. Many cabins also chose to take the cabin campouts off campus. Since we weren’t able to take campers to Dolly’s to get ice cream, we arranged for Dolly’s Trolly to come to us! I have never seen as much excitement as the first time the Trolly pulled on to campus. It was even more of a treat for us all to be able to enjoy ice cream TOGETHER on the Athletic Field. And this is how the summer unfolded - a series of optimism, creativity, careful thought and consideration and a lot of hard, meaningful work! We had a few scares when a cold appeared and when the Delta variant began to surge, but we weren’t deterred. In the end, we made it through the summer without a case of COVID. More importantly we got to experience camp together! We cleaned cabins, washed dishes, learned how to build fires and tie knots. We made new friends. We danced with abandon on the tennis courts during Lodge. We stared at the dark night sky and watched shooting stars blaze across it. We shared the challenges of the last year by a campfire during cabin camp out. We stepped outside of our comfort zones and grew. We gained more confidence. We gave and received compassion. We refilled our hearts.

At the same time, we were seeing the effects of social isolation on children and teens - increased anxiety, lack of confidence, learning losses...We knew that camp was an antidote that they needed. We pressed on. Fortunately, we were able to follow the lead of schools, including The Outdoor Academy, and other programs that had

These groups ate in the same dining areas (there were three - one in the Dining Hall and two in large circus style tents nearby), chose classes from the same activity lists (we had to create four different schedules to do this) and participated in Twilight together. We had to be creative and think differently.

As I reflect back on the many months that led up to the opening of camp, and also the months that made up our summer, I can’t even count the number of people that got us to this point. It is all of you - the alums that immediately reached out in support when we announced that we wouldn’t be able to open in 2020, the donors who gave generously to keep us afloat, the parents who trusted us to care for and protect their children, the campers who were flexible in the face of changes developed to keep them healthy, and the counselors who worked harder than any staff has ever worked. The past summer could not have been possible without you. Your support reaffirms what I know to be true of Eagle’s Nest: we are a group of people who exemplify the best of what a community can be. Thank you!

Artwork by Todd Weinkam

Giving Back to Eagle’s Nest By Julee Nunley, Chair ENF Trusteeship Committee Although I was never a camper or an Outdoor Academy student myself, Eagle’s Nest has a special place in my heart because of the wonderful experiences my two sons have had at camp for the past ten years. This place and this community have been so important to my family that I was eager to find a way to get more involved. I’ve served on the Board of Trustees for almost five years now, and through these years of service, I’ve learned that the magic Eagle’s Nest creates for children is brought about through lots of hard work and dedication. The administration and staff work tirelessly to ensure that our programs are enriching and engaging, safe and fun. The Board supports the staff by providing oversight and guidance, always keeping the mission at the focus of all the Foundation’s efforts. The full board has regularly scheduled meetings three weekends a year. Our weekends consist of a series of committee meetings followed by a full board meeting to wrap up the weekend. These meetings have typically been on campus, but since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have embraced meeting virtually. Zoom is a poor substitute for

being on campus, but it has allowed us to quickly respond to the challenges of the past 18 months. As we develop the board, we strive to find a balance of professional expertise and life experiences so that the Foundation is constantly prepared to meet the demands of a changing world. We believe that a diversity of voices will help us be a more effective board and will make Eagle’s Nest a more inclusive community. At this moment, we are looking for new Trustees who can offer professional expertise in the medical field and more specifically, in mental health. To ensure that our programs are fairly represented, we would like to add more Outdoor Academy alums. Perhaps most importantly for our goal of strengthening and diversifying our board, we want to add people of color who have a passion for experiential education. If you meet any of these criteria and have an interest in serving Eagle’s Nest as a Trustee, we would love to hear from you! An existing Trustee would be happy to connect to give you more information about the process of joining the board, scheduling a time to visit one of our meetings, and what to expect from board service. Serving on the Board is a commitment, but is an excellent way to share your skills and your voice with Eagle’s Nest. Email noni@enf.org if you would like to learn more.

Meet the New Trustees

Would You Like to Work at Eagle’s Nest or The Outdoor Academy? Do you love Eagle’s Nest Camp and The Outdoor Academy? Did you know that our counselors, instructors and faculty are what make us special? Would you like to be one of the people making a positive impact on the lives of children and teens? Are you excited by the idea of a purposeful career working for an educational non-profit? If so, consider applying for a position at Camp, Hante or The Outdoor Academy. Each summer, we hire approximately 80 people to be counselors and Hante instructors. Throughout the year, we also post other full and part time positions at The Outdoor Academy and for Eagle’s Nest Foundation. We seek hardworking, creative folks who find meaning in working with children and teens. Check out our website to see open positions and applications.

DEI Reading Wishlist Want to help Eagle’s Nest expand our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts? Consider donating a book from our DEI Amazon book wishlist to our library so we can offer everyone on campus more comprehensive and educational material. To donate a book, visit our Amazon wishlist Cognizant of societal inequalities, ENF is committed to attracting, welcoming, and serving people of diverse cultures, ethnicities, faiths, identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our community ethos fosters belonging, self-awareness, respect, honesty, empathy, inclusion, and equity. We strive to honor the perspectives and traditions of all members of our community. Learn more about our DEI projects on our website.

Are you a camp alum that longs to return to the camp community to give back and create magic for our campers? If you have just graduated from high school and will be 18 this summer, you can apply to be an intern. If you have been out of high school for at least a year, you can apply to be a camp counselor. In addition to teaching classes and being a cabin counselor, you will develop skills that will enhance your job marketability.

JUSTIN PLUMMER

Born and raised in Greensboro, NC, Justin joined the Eagle’s Nest Community in 2002 as a student at The Outdoor Academy (Semester 14). He still vividly recalls the orientation trek, which was his very first overnight camping experience; he got very little sleep because every noise was obviously a bear coming to eat him. His love of outdoor education and intentional community building, introduced to him by OA, only grew during his time at Davidson College. He worked in the Davidson Outdoors office as a work study student and eventually became the President of the outdoor club. He led or participated in more than forty trips over his four years, from canoeing in the Everglades to caving in Blacksburg, VA. He and his husband Daniel currently live in (and love) Durham, NC, where Justin works at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

JILL FLEURIET, PHD

Jill came to love Eagle’s Nest through her daughter, Hazel, who attended Eagle’s Nest Camp, several Hantes, and The Outdoor Academy. Her husband, Bill Spedding, knew of Eagle’s Nest since the 1990s through Paige Lester-Niles, a friend and Ultimate frisbee teammate in Winston-Salem, NC. Jill, Bill and Hazel live in San Antonio, Texas, where Jill is a Professor of Anthropology and a higher education administrator in the Honors College at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She earned her BA from Harvard College, MA’s from San Diego State University and Stanford University, and her PhD from Stanford. Originally from the southern tip of Texas, her research revolves around questions of identity, place and wellbeing in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, and she particularly enjoys using applied and experiential learning in her courses. Jill is happiest reading outside, working collaboratively on community projects, or hiking in new places.

Are you an OA alum? We currently have three OA alums working for us right now. It’s incredibly powerful to be able to help shape the future of high school students. Would you like to join us? Each year we hire Resident staff members and occasionally have faculty or other staff member positions available. Check out our employment page for opportunities. Do you know someone who you think would be a great fit for working at Eagle’s Nest or The Outdoor Academy? Encourage them to visit our website or send their resume to us at hr@enf.org. We appreciate your help in bringing great employees to our organization!

Have you considered adding Eagle’s Nest to your estate plans? At Eagle’s Nest, our Sustainers are those who have elected to include Eagle’s Nest Foundation in their estate plans through bequests, gifts of life insurance and retirement plans, and other contributions made through their estate. These honored friends have found inspiration at Eagle’s Nest Camp, Hante Adventures, and The Outdoor Academy. The benefits of planned giving are numerous to both you and future generations of campers, students, and adventurers at Eagle’s Nest and The Outdoor Academy. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Sustainer, Eagle’s Nest Foundation’s development office is ready to assist with: • General information about planned gift vehicles that Eagle’s Nest may accept. • Information about fund and endowment options to suit your philanthropic goals. • Additional resources to help you make decisions. Contact Information: Cara Varney, Development Director Pisgah Forest Office cara@enf.org • (828) 877-4349

NEST CHATTER

Adam Pendleton (OA) - Exhibiting Who Is Queen?, which transforms MoMA’s Marron Atrium into a dynamic arena exploring Blackness, abstraction, and the avant-garde. In his monumental floor-to-ceiling installation, Adam Pendleton has created a spatial collage of text, image, and sound—a total work of art for the 21st century. Who is Queen? will be showcased September 18, 2021 – January 30, 2022. Katherine MacPhail (OA) – graduated from Oberlin College in May 2021, where she was Editor-in-Chief of her school’s newspaper Anne Miller (OA) - graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine as a Doctor of Medicine in May 2021 and will be pursuing her residency in psychiatry at the University of Kentucky. Madeline Conley (Camp & OA) – accepted into UNC Asheville and will attend in Fall 2021 Lily Tidwell (Camp & OA) – Completed her Master of Conservation Biology at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in Spring 2021

Gina (Masi) Weinstein (Camp, Hante): Baby Hadley Drew born March

Ben Rosenberg (Camp, Hante, Lydia Beaudrot Read (Camp Former Staff) & Emily & OA) & Jay Read: Baby Jack Rosenberg: Baby Helen born born January 24, 2021 May 7, 2021 Alyssa Merwin Henderson (OA) & Richard Henderson: Baby Asher born January 9, 2021 Ashley Hans-Barrientos (OA): Baby Asher 2021 Sarah Carl Croset (Camp/OA) & Sam Croset: Baby Tess Evelyne born April 8, 2021 Emily Brodkin Spiegel (Camp & OA) & Jonathan Spiegel: Baby Milo Benjamin born April 8, 2021 Tyler Pace (Staff) & Mims Montgomery (Former Staff): Baby Charlotte born August 30, 2021

Liz Snyder (Former Staff) married Rachel Wood on 9/4/21

Marjorie Anne Foster (OA) – Double majoring in journalism and religious studies at Elon University, her website “Meeting Muslims” earned a fifth-place finish in the Multimedia Innovative Storytelling Competition in this year’s Hearst Journalism Awards.

Denton King (OA) & Lauren Horton: Baby William “Will” Denton King on January 19th, 2021

Arrington McCoy (Former Staff) & Patrick Hunnicutt: Baby Sylvie Robin born August 30, 2021

Taylor Byrd (Camp, Hante, OA) & Jenny Martin: Baby Erin Elizabeth Byrd born June 26, 2021

Emily Hall (OA): After her amazing experience during OA Semester 51, Emily decided that she wanted to continue forward on a path of challenge and growth so she applied to NCSSM (North Carolina School of Math and Science). She was one of only about 300 rising NC Juniors accepted and looks forward to completing her high school career in Durham. Leah Green’s poem won the Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize second place award from the Academy of American Poets on April 22, 2021 (Earth Day) Shadiyat Ajao (OA) - completed MFA in Creative Writing- Poetry at The New School in Spring 2021

We’ve got a brand new website! Visit www.enf.org to check it out. 11

Now accepting applications for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 Semesters Apply Here

2022 Hante Adventures registration Open! Explore all trips offered

New Faces at the Nest

Hannah Blue Rose OA Outdoor Education Manager

Hannah Blue has been working with youth in the outdoors since 2012 in various capacities: as a Hante leader and Camp counselor at Eagle’s Nest Camp, for her college outdoor program at UNC Asheville, and for the last 5 years as an instructor and river specialist at Outward Bound. Over her time in the outdoor industry, Hannah Blue has become passionate about working to reverse the social inequities that exist in outdoor sports and their underlying causes, and about working to ensure that people of all identities are welcomed to the healing, connection, and growth that outdoor spaces can offer. In her free time, she loves whitewater canoeing and is so stoked and grateful to live in a place that offers some of the best paddling in the eastern US. Holler at her if you want to talk about plant ID, equity in the outdoors, or whether or not tacos are technically sandwiches.

Ryan Kingrey

Eagle’s Nest Camp Summer 2022

OA Medical & Residential Life Coordinator Ryan grew up in the Baltimore-Annapolis area but left for the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina to attend Warren Wilson College. Ryan majored in Environmental Studies focusing on Education, Community and Agriculture. As he was graduating college, Ryan knew he wanted to impact the lives of others in tremendous ways. Passionate about helping people discover more about themselves, others, and their connection to nature, he found himself at The North Carolina Outward Bound School. During his time with Outward Bound he’s spent countless days in the field with students in the familiar mountains of North Carolina, as well as the enchanting swamps and Everglades of Florida. When Ryan’s not working you can find him scampering through the forest, paddling the Southeastern classic whitewater rivers, rock-climbing North Carolina’s ancient rocks, or gardening in his backyard with his partner and cat.