LINDSAY YOST
Sharing Lessons of Uncertainty As an elementary education major in college, Lindsay Yost never imagined taking her teaching beyond the classroom. It wasn’t until she began leading trips for a camp in Maine that she realized there were other options. A few years later, she found herself working for a wilderness semester program for high school juniors in Colorado. There, she met many people who worked for NOLS and in 2008 Yost took a NOLS Rocky Mountain Instructor Course. Since then, she’s worked as a field instructor, a program supervisor at the branch level, and most recently as the program manager of NOLS Northeast. Yost believes the variety of positions help her integrate lessons learned on her instructor course into her career. Most notably, she practices tolerance for adversity and uncertainty regularly. “There is a lot of uncertainty in learning a new job, but that process is valuable and it teaches you a lot about yourself,” explained Yost, who feels that also helps her be a better instructor. “It helps me have more compassion for students when they’re struggling… to think of the times that have been hard for me or new to me. “ From the office to the backcountry, Yost shares her lessons with each NOLS student she encounters because she truly believes in the value of what she does. “Time and time again, I have seen the NOLS experience change a student’s life,” said Yost. “Many of my students may have never had the opportunity to go on a NOLS course if it weren’t for the scholarship money that they received. That personal context gives me perspective of why it’s so important to give back to the school.” “We really do create positive, ethical leaders … most of our students believe in having an ethical compass and doing what’s right,” stated Yost. “That’s a lot of what we’re asking them to do out there. That’s what makes it life changing.” For this reason, Yost goes above and beyond her job by giving back to the school financially. She knows what an impact her donation can have in creating a life-changing experience for a student. “If my gift can make a difference for just one student,” Yost reflected, “It’s worth it.” 12
NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL
NOLS changes lives, and thanks to NOLS programs like the Gateway Partners and donors like Lindsay, scholarships make NOLS possible for anyone. Yukon, STÉPHANE TERRIER