YesWs

Rick Rochelle is a mountaineer, wilderness medic, Director of Professional Training for NOLS and President of All American Leadership.

We discuss wrestling as a youth, his journey into climbing, some of his career medical saves, his powerful mental health journey, leadership in the fire service, the importance of training, wildland firefighting and so much more.

Rick Rochelle II - Episode 853

Aversion

4eva

This teacher story is about two high school students who learned life-changing lessons, not in a classroom with four walls, desks, and chairs, but in a much bigger classroom - the Alaska wilderness. Keisha Orozco and Chris Flores spent three weeks hiking and kayaking with other students as part of STEP, a college-access and leadership program for low-income students in Arizona. Also joining this conversation is Tracy Baynes, the founder of the STEP program, which she started in 2004 after working as an oceanographer and instructor for Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). 

Chris, Keisha, and their fellow students had experienced guides, but they served periodically as leaders during these expeditions. This story is a reminder that deep, transformative learning can happen in the absence of teachers standing up in front of a class explaining subjects to their students. It can happen away from school, without one’s electronic devices, when students have an opportunity to work together and figure things out on their own. 

Chris said that he had never internalized a lesson his mother had impressed upon him - that he is his best advocate. “Being able to trust myself…that I know myself best to make those decisions and that I will make sure I will take myself wherever I need to go…That was the biggest takeaway I had from the Alaska expedition. You need to trust yourself because any risk or danger that you have in urban Arizona is amplified exponentially in Alaska.”

For Keisha — who described the experience as “brutal, but in a good way” — one of the most rewarding parts of the trip, something she attributes to being disconnected from technology, was the connections she made with other students. “I couldn't imagine not talking to them if I were glued to my phone.” A key lesson Keisha learned from this experience was confidence. “Beforehand, I was not super timid, but I would be really hesitant with myself. I didn't really think that what I had to say would make a big contribution…Now, I am definitely not afraid to make decisions, big or small,” she said. 

Episode notes at www.teacherstories.org include links to the STEP program, Outward Bound, and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

What Students Learn Thousands of Miles from Home in the Alaska Wilderness

Emily Sly, the Manager of the Sequim Branch of the North Olympic Library System (NOLS),  provides an update on the ongoing remodel and expansion of the Sequim Library, as well as the many services the library offers.

Sequim Library Remodel Update - Branch Manager Emily Sly 05/13/2025

Bringing the greatest minds in mental and physical wellness to the men and women who serve our communities.

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New tracks tagged #NoLs