Carson City Resident Completes Semester for Outdoor Educators

Shawn Latshaw, 28 of Carson City recently completed an 89-day Semester for Outdoor Educators course with the National Outdoor Leadership School. This career course is designed to teach students how to work as confident professionals in the outdoor education field.

The Semester for Outdoor Educators course focused on the traditional NOLS curriculum of leadership and technical skills, but included increased opportunities for teaching. On this career course, students took turns teaching classes on topics such as risk management, expedition planning and group dynamics to refine their own teaching skills.

Before heading into the backcountry, Latshaw and his coursemates completed a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course. WFR is the industry standard for outdoor professionals, and this course gave students the tools to make basic medical decisions in remote locations.

The Semester for Outdoor Educators had four sections: winter, canyon, climbing and river. This semester emphasized the teaching and management of these technical skills.

Three instructors and 10 students began the semester with an 18-day winter expedition in Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest. During this section, students traveled on skis and carried all their food and fuel on sleds. Curriculum focused on ski technique, building snow shelters and avalanche rescue scenarios. All students received a Level 1 recreational avalanche certificate. Overall, the group traveled 20 miles and gained 1,000 feet of elevation.

Next Latshaw, his nine coursemates and two instructors transitioned to a 10-day canoe section on the Green River in Desolation Canyon. Curriculum focused on how to teach and debrief students. Other topics of emphasis included: risk management, canoe skills, environmental studies, leadership and diversity and inclusion. On this section students traveled 84 miles on the river.

For the canyon section, the students split into three groups. In this challenging environment, students developed advanced map reading and route finding skills. Students learned desert living, technical slot canyoneering and how to manage novices. All students had a chance to act as leader of the day and practice all four leadership roles: designated, active followership, peer and self. It was a successful month of backpacking in some of the world’s finest canyons.

Climbing was the culminating section of this semester. Latshaw, his coursemates and three instructors started the section focusing on sport climbing at Sinks Canyon in Wyoming. Students gained competency in anchors, lead climbing and lead belaying for the first week. Then, camp was moved to Split Rock where students began learning traditional climbing skills such as placing protection, using natural anchors and crack climbing technique. At the end of this section, students did a multi-pitch climb on the over-500-foot face of Split Rock.

The NOLS Semester for Outdoor Educators was full of exploration and bonds that will last a lifetime.
Students all learned how to effectively teach risk management, judgment, outdoor living and environmental studies in the backcountry. Latshaw and his coursemates graduated as competent and responsible wilderness travelers and leaders. They join the NOLS alumni network of over 221,000 graduates.

About NOLS - The National Outdoor Leadership School:

Since legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt founded the school in 1965, more than 221,000 students have graduated from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), the leader in wilderness education. Whether through field-based courses offered in some of the most awe-inspiring locations in the world or classroom-based courses, the school provides transformative educational experiences to students of all ages. Graduates emerge as active leaders with lifelong environmental ethics and outdoor skills. To discover the NOLS experience or to bring a course to your business or organization, call (800) 710-NOLS (6657) or visit www.nols.edu.