ENGAGEMENT

In summer 2019, NOLS and the C5 Youth Association celebrated the fifth year of partnership and the one thousandth NOLS/C5 Leadership Expedition graduate. NOLS C5 Bridges Leadership Expeditions are unique experiences where C5 leaders experience the wilderness as intact groups, and curriculum is tailored to serve the mission of the C5 Youth Programs.

The C5 Youth Association offers a five-year leadership program that supports students through high school, into college, and beyond. The five Cs encourage students to be character-driven, community-focused, challenge-ready, college-bound, and committed to a better future. For NOLS, this relationship diversifies the student body and the alumni network, attracts new personnel to NOLS, and prompts a reimagining of the NOLS pedagogical model while staying true to the mission. It also presents new opportunities for staff, instructors, and students to learn from each other.

Kirk Rasmussen

Each year of the program focuses on a key area: Year 1, Leading Myself; Year 2, Leading Others; Year 3, Expanding My Horizons; Year 4, Exploring My Future; and Year 5, Engaging My Community. The NOLS C5 Bridges Leadership Expedition is a seven-day backpacking course strategically positioned at the beginning of Year 3, the summer between students’ sophomore and junior years of high school. NOLS C5 Leadership Expeditions operate out of NOLS’ Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Teton Valley, and Northeast locations.

During these trips, students and instructors summit peaks and ford rivers, hike on ancient trails and bushwhack up drainages, become backcountry chefs, build incredibly close relationships, and overcome challenges as individuals and as teams. But most importantly, these expeditions emphasize lessons that will support leaders on their post-secondary journey. Students move through

Lisa Bower

a condensed leadership progression that enables every student to not only learn about the NOLS 4-7-1 model, but be a designated leader for a day. Whether designated leader or active follower, students learn how to give and receive feedback, resolve conflicts, make decisions, and empower their peers. Joseph Collins, Executive Director of C5 Los Angeles, had the opportunity to accompany a group of C5 students on a NOLS course last year. Afterward, he reflected, “I couldn’t be more proud or confident in this partnership and I look forward to continuing to deepen our work together. I get it. I believe in it. I can’t wait to get on the mountain again and shout all about it!”