Outdoor education isn’t just about wilderness know-how. It also teaches students resilience, leadership and decision-making skills through hands-on, “experiential” learning. The ideas have been around for decades — but they’ve evolved, too, in an effort to reach and resonate with more students. Join students and organizers alike for a conversation on the history of these wilderness programs and how they're meeting the current moment.
About the Speakers
Taylor Anthes is an alumna of the Buddy Program’s Outdoor Leadership class at Basalt High School and recently returned from a monthslong adventure with the outdoor education organization Outward Bound.
John Brasier is the LEAD Program director for the Buddy Program, focusing on outdoor and experiential education and mentorship for teens. (“LEAD” stands for “Leadership through Exploration, Action, and Discovery.”) Brasier is also a former instructor for Outward Bound.
Eric Boggs is a story strategist and experience developer at Intuit and senior faculty for NOLS, the National Outdoor Leadership School. His specialities include leadership development and experiential learning, and he’s led expeditions and adventures around the world.
Moderator Halle Zander is an associate editor, reporter and All Things Considered anchor for Aspen Public Radio. She previously worked as a freelance journalist and as an educator for the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies and the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program.
