Poster Kids: 7 on 7

Dateline: Lakewood, CO
The Colorado Tour

Poster Presentations at Carmody Middle School

The 7th grade students at Carmody Middle School welcomed our Colorado Tour with a bevy of posters and Powerpoints on the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, which they eagerly presented to us one by one. After Kathi Smith's class threw us their best pitches, it was our turn to talk about human impacts and engage the students in our traveling road show. We presented our always compelling array of human waste disposal tools and techniques, discussed durable surfaces and played a round of "Step on It," and got the students to form a living time-line of trash in our "How Long Does It Last?" activity.

7th Graders and the 7 Principles

We wrapped it up by challenging the students to think about having a positive impact that might last one million years... yep, picking up that carelessly, thoughtlessly, and negligently discarded styrofoam or glass bottle will do just that, become a positive impact that lasts virtually forever.

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

Outdoor Experiences for Urban Kids

Dateline: Pueblo, CO
The Colorado Tour

Boys and Girls Clubs Staff Training

On Wednesday, we crossed over the Continental Divide and followed the Arkansas River down from Poncha Springs to Pueblo where we had a date with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County. First, we ran a Leave No Trace Workshop for a couple of hours with an engaged group of Boys and Girls Club staff. One of the highlights was an ethics discussion during which staffers passionately elaborated on their pet-outdoor-activity-peeves. From fishing and picnicking to hiking and trail running, these folks shared both their appreciation for special outdoor places and their disappointment with inconsiderate trashing of these same places. These are complaints that most of us can recite, all of which could be avoided if we take time to reflect on the impacts of careless or thoughtless behaviors. These staff members were committed to pass on their Leave No Trace training to the kids that they teach and mentor in the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Under the Cottonwoods at the Nature and Raptor Center

Later that same afternoon we met with two groups of Boys and Girls Club members (ages 7-16) at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo (NRCP). Even though these 25 kids have had limited experience adventuring in the outdoor wilds, they jumped right into digging catholes, figuring out how to get into a bear-proof food canister, and practicing wildlife-watching rules of thumb. The NRCP is located in a readily accessible urban-wildlands interface, part of a diverse riparian ecosystem along the Arkansas River. It's a great place for these urban kids to experience the out-of-doors,

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

No Trace: ASAP

Dateline: Alamosa, CO

The Colorado Tour

Adams State College has a terrific outdoor adventure program and is in the process of growing an academic minor in Outdoor Leadership. Located on the Rio Grande River with the San Juan Mountains to the west and Sangre De Cristo range to the north and east, the school is certainly well positioned for a wide variety of year-round adventure sports activities. 

Leave No Trace ASAP 

Our afternoon of campus outreach (we were in a high profile site next to the student center) was followed by an evening of training with staff and students of the Adams State Adventure Program (ASAP). Our workshop also included several folks from the Alamosa community... all told, it was an eager, engaged group of outdoor leaders.

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

SOS for Youth

Dateline: Frisco, CO
The Colorado Tour

SOS Outreach is a dynamic international recreation program whose objective is to build character in youth (courage, wisdom, discipline, compassion and integrity) through outdoor adventure. A diverse cohort of SOS youth leaders gathered with us on a drizzly afternoon at the Frisco Community Center for Leave No Trace training. The group came together from all around the country to work with SOS, many of them as AmeriCorps volunteers. We especially felt kinship with those who, like us, had just arrived in Colorado to begin an exciting new chapter in their lives as trainers, educators, and mentors.  It was great to work with this experienced, thoughtful bunch of leaders, and we had energetic discussions about Leave No Trace principles from bonfires to bear canisters, and cat-holes to Biffy Bags. Thanks to Mikayla and Teresa from the Frisco Office of SOS Outreach for their efforts in organizing the session.

…along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett