Welcome back! Each week, The Mountaineers youth team is sharing ideas and activities for kids of all ages to stay engaged while also staying close to home and following your county’s phased guidelines. Last week's Stuck Inside highlighted the anti-racism resources for youth and families. This week, we are sharing our Summer Quest Challenge and how to earn the quest badge.
Summer Quest Challenge
The activities are:
- Identify Edible Plants & Tryout Recipes
- Make Your Own Outdoor Art!
- Try Your Hand At Campfire Cooking
- Fantastic Flora of the PNW
- Learning/Teaching Something New
- Take On Our Hiking Challenge
- Make a Map of Your Own
- Tell Us a Story
- Practice Some Mindfulness
YOUTH TEAM Announcements
We're sad to announce that two members of our youth team are moving on to new pursuits, and we're thrilled that another member of our youth team will be stepping into a new role and we'll soon be welcoming an additional staff member.
Goodbye Katie Love!
Katie Love, our associate youth programs manager who runs summer and break camps, will soon be switching roles from teacher to student! We are excited for her as she moves on from The Mountaineers to pursue a masters degree in geography from the University of British Columbia. She will be studying the effects of climate change on the glaciers of the coast range and will continue to enjoy the PNW outdoors often. Katie has been running camps and family programs for the past two years and has so enjoyed getting to know the youth and families of The Mountaineers. Katie’s words to families and youth, “I will miss the kiddo's silliness, sense of adventure, and wonder as well as the wonderful staff."
Goodbye Danielle Leitao!
Danielle Leitao, our associate youth programs manager in charge of outreach programs, will also be leaving the youth team! She is also going back the the classroom where she'll be teaching and working on her Masters in Special Education. She has been working in outreach for the past four years and joined the team in 2016 as summer camp director. Danielle says, “I will miss working with community partners like Interagency, Young Women Empowered, and the students from Aki Kurose most. I am really grateful for the relationships I have fostered within youth programming and the staff. I hope to see you all on the trails and slopes."
Congratulations Tailor Dolgin!
We're excited to welcome to Tailor Dolgin, who transitions into a combined Associate Youth Program Manager role. With the impacts of COVID-19 to our youth programs, we've combined Katie Love and Danielle Leitao’s roles, and we're excited that Tailor has stepped into fill their very big shoes. Prior to this role, Tailor served as our youth field coordinator, supporting our year-round clubs programs.
Tailor says, “I am so excited to step into the realms of Summer Camp and Outreach! There is so much joy in getting kids outside and trying new skills and I cannot think of a better community to do it with. As an Adventure Camp Director in the past, I’ve had the opportunity to work outside with a variety of campers introducing them to new skills and new experiences. One of my favorite moments with campers happened last summer. We started our morning with a lesson on the comfort, panic, and challenge zones and then went rock climbing to test our new skills. One camper climbed all the way up the route and realized that lowering was his panic zone and he did not want to do it. Seeing the light bulb go off, his ability to recognize what was scary, and then being able do it anyway, was so cool to see! And that learning is what makes my job so much fun!”
Share your memories
Do you have any fond memories of Katie and Danielle, or best wishes for Tailor, to share? Please share them with us in the comments!
STAY SAFE, HAVE FUN, Enjoy your summer!
This will be our last installment of Stuck Inside for a while, as we pause to better support our busy summer of programming. Thank you for your great participation!
ABOUT YOUTH PROGRAMS
The Mountaineers is committed to bringing outdoor experiences to today's youth through our outdoor youth and family programs. We introduce young people to the benefits of outdoor experiences: a healthy lifestyle, outdoor recreation skills, perseverance, self-confidence, self-reliance, an appreciation for the natural world, and a commitment to protecting outdoor spaces. We offer year-round clubs, break and summer camps, outreach programs through Mountain Workshops, a youth gear lending library, and even programs for our smallest members: Mini Mountaineers. Learn more about all of the programs we offer.
Check out all of the previous episodes of Stuck Inside for more fun activities!
Main image: Danielle and Katie, Youth Program Manager Super Heroes. Photo from The Mountaineers archives.
Add a comment
Log in to add comments.Goodbye to Danielle and Katie. I only got to know you a bit, Katie, but I hope you'll write a blog for the Mountaineers when you get started on your research and let us know about the BC glaciers. Danielle, thank you for so warmly including the Naturalist Committee in your work at the Club. Your joy for people, education, birds, bees, plants, etc., is enthusiastic. Best of luck to you in your graduate work. I will miss you. ~Danielle Graham