NOLS Ideology
The National Outdoor Leadership School is a program that has a purpose of not only teaching people how to backpack, but teaching people values they can take take with them into the real world. NOLS was founded in 1965 by Paul Petzoldt and continues to be the leader in outdoor education programs today.
NOLS Mission: "To be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people in the environment." The NOLS community serves a commitment to
-wilderness
-education
-leadership
-community
-safety
-excellence
These values make up the ideology that defines who NOLS is, what they do, and how they do it.
NOLS has high expectations of their students, and strives towards a positive learning environment.
More than 400 colleges across the country have accepted NOLS/University of Utah credit!
NOLS Mission: "To be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people in the environment." The NOLS community serves a commitment to
-wilderness
-education
-leadership
-community
-safety
-excellence
These values make up the ideology that defines who NOLS is, what they do, and how they do it.
NOLS has high expectations of their students, and strives towards a positive learning environment.
More than 400 colleges across the country have accepted NOLS/University of Utah credit!
NOLS VALUESWilderness: Nature is dominant and the consequences are real. Being away from the distractions of modern civilization creates a sense of self-reliance, judgment, respect, and responsibility for our actions.
Education: Courses are designed to be exciting, fun, and challenging. They help people develop and practice the skills they need to live and travel safely in the outdoors. People learn by accepting and meeting various challenges. Leadership: Encourages judgment, personal responsibility, and awareness or group needs through experience and timely, positive feedback. Community: NOLS values integrity, diversity, personal responsibility, and individuals who care about what they do. Teamwork and commitment to the mission and statement is valuable. Safety: Success comes from good risk management and judgment based on experience, training, and knowledge. Excellence: Maintaining excellence requires people to question decisions, learn from failures, and celebrate success. Excellence requires a commitment to high quality experiences where every relationship counts. |
Outdoor Ethics:
Leave No Trace Principles -Plan ahead and prepare- -Travel and camp on durable surfaces- -Dispose of waste properly- -Leave what you find- -Minimize campfire impacts- -Respect wildlife- -Be considerate of other visitors- |
PRESUPPOSITIONS
- People assume NOLS is out of their price range and is not worth the cost. People may not realize there are scholarship opportunities and you can receive up to 16 hours of college credit for it. You can't put a price on the experience, education, and values attained.
- People also may think of backpackers as a subculture of free spirited people or "tree huggers" who are trying to "find themselves", which is not necessarily true. Backpacking is for all ages, all backgrounds, from the college student to the highly educated professional.
- Many people have presuppositions of outdoor schools who have courses that focus on teenagers with behavioral problems. Students on NOLS semester courses range in age from 18-25 and come from different backgrounds all over the world. They simply want to enhance their college experience and love of the outdoors.
WHY JOIN NOLS?
The National Outdoor Leadership School(NOLS), is a great example of a successful program that prepares students to lead their own backpacking expeditions after they graduate from a course. NOLS is the leader in wilderness education and offers courses ranging from 10 days to one year, all over the world. Each course specializes in different activities from sailing to ice climbing. Backpacking is one of many technical skills NOLS teaches, as well as leadership skills, outdoor skills, environmental studies, and risk management. Even if a student has no experience in backpacking, he or she can still apply for the course. The instructors make sure everyone is well-prepared before going out into the field.
NOLS focuses primarily on leadership, so students learn to take initiative and help with navigation, or challenging issues that may arise along the journey. NOLS teaches students expedition behavior, which includes being an active follower and a positive group member that helps to serve the group goals and work as a team. NOLS also focuses on outdoor skills such as ration planning, equipment care, preparing nutritious meals using a camp stove and fire, navigation, map reading, compass use, campsite selection, sanitation and waste disposal. Environmental studies include Leave No Trace camping and resource protection, natural history, regional environmental issues, wilderness ethics, and local concerns of land management agencies. Another major skill emphasized on a NOLS course is risk management. This includes injury prevention and treatment, group decision-making, emergency procedures, and identifying risks. The NOLS community agrees that "Our hands-on, learn-by-doing approach means our graduates get the skills they need to be competent, responsible wilderness travelers long after their course."
Worth Every Penny:
NOLS in particular is a pricey program, but the values and skills learned are worth every penny. Prices range based on the length and location of the course. Prices and programs are listed on the website, nols.edu. These prices do not include air fare or equipment. Expensive equipment, including backpacks, can be rented from NOLS. This is good for anyone who wants to try out a backpack and see what they like and do not like about it, so when they decide to purchase their own in the future, they make the right choice. Scholarships are also offered through NOLS, which is a great way to save money. The values and unforgettable experiences gained from NOLS are well worth the cost and the NOLS ideology has a great purpose. The main way NOLS promotes itself is by word of mouth. People who have taken their courses tell other people their stories and experiences, which surprisingly, is the best way NOLS is recognized. People sign up because they want to have similar experiences as their friends and family.
My NOLS experience:
I participated in a NOLS course last semester, and it was a life changing experience. Going into it with no backpacking experience was intimidating, but the instructors do an excellent job of making us feel comfortable and competent on the trail and beyond our backpacks. My group only backpacked for a month, but in doing so it inspired me to backpack for the rest of my life. It is a skill that is valuable to have no matter how old you are, and backpacking around the world can take you to incredible places with different cultures and amazing people. Living without so many materialistic things teaches you a lot about yourself, and you can grow as a person and leader. Not only is backpacking a tool for personal growth, but it is affordable compared to other expensive outdoor adventure activities. The values NOLS teaches cannot be learned in a traditional classroom and the backcountry provides the ideal setting for a unique, memorable experience.
NOLS focuses primarily on leadership, so students learn to take initiative and help with navigation, or challenging issues that may arise along the journey. NOLS teaches students expedition behavior, which includes being an active follower and a positive group member that helps to serve the group goals and work as a team. NOLS also focuses on outdoor skills such as ration planning, equipment care, preparing nutritious meals using a camp stove and fire, navigation, map reading, compass use, campsite selection, sanitation and waste disposal. Environmental studies include Leave No Trace camping and resource protection, natural history, regional environmental issues, wilderness ethics, and local concerns of land management agencies. Another major skill emphasized on a NOLS course is risk management. This includes injury prevention and treatment, group decision-making, emergency procedures, and identifying risks. The NOLS community agrees that "Our hands-on, learn-by-doing approach means our graduates get the skills they need to be competent, responsible wilderness travelers long after their course."
Worth Every Penny:
NOLS in particular is a pricey program, but the values and skills learned are worth every penny. Prices range based on the length and location of the course. Prices and programs are listed on the website, nols.edu. These prices do not include air fare or equipment. Expensive equipment, including backpacks, can be rented from NOLS. This is good for anyone who wants to try out a backpack and see what they like and do not like about it, so when they decide to purchase their own in the future, they make the right choice. Scholarships are also offered through NOLS, which is a great way to save money. The values and unforgettable experiences gained from NOLS are well worth the cost and the NOLS ideology has a great purpose. The main way NOLS promotes itself is by word of mouth. People who have taken their courses tell other people their stories and experiences, which surprisingly, is the best way NOLS is recognized. People sign up because they want to have similar experiences as their friends and family.
My NOLS experience:
I participated in a NOLS course last semester, and it was a life changing experience. Going into it with no backpacking experience was intimidating, but the instructors do an excellent job of making us feel comfortable and competent on the trail and beyond our backpacks. My group only backpacked for a month, but in doing so it inspired me to backpack for the rest of my life. It is a skill that is valuable to have no matter how old you are, and backpacking around the world can take you to incredible places with different cultures and amazing people. Living without so many materialistic things teaches you a lot about yourself, and you can grow as a person and leader. Not only is backpacking a tool for personal growth, but it is affordable compared to other expensive outdoor adventure activities. The values NOLS teaches cannot be learned in a traditional classroom and the backcountry provides the ideal setting for a unique, memorable experience.
NOLS offers a variety of backpacking courses in various places across the globe. This includes courses in:
-Scandinavia
-Rocky Mountains
-Australia
-Alaska
-East Africa
-Amazon
-Idaho
-Wyoming
-Teton Valley
-New Zealand
-Pacific Northwest
-India
-Mexico
-Yukon
-Patagonia
-Himalaya
-Northeast
-Southwest
-Scandinavia
-Rocky Mountains
-Australia
-Alaska
-East Africa
-Amazon
-Idaho
-Wyoming
-Teton Valley
-New Zealand
-Pacific Northwest
-India
-Mexico
-Yukon
-Patagonia
-Himalaya
-Northeast
-Southwest
The slideshow below includes some of my own backpacking adventures on a NOLS course in Baja, Mexico.
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