Estes Park News – Eagle Rock Students Receive Outdoor Expedition Scholarships

Students Angel Flores, Rafael McLoud and Eric Harris were recently awarded Outward Bound and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) expedition scholarships for trips to occur this coming summer.

Angel and Rafael received the Outward Bound Pinnacle Scholarship that was established in 1992 and serves budding leaders who can benefit most from the kind of empowering experience Outward Bound provides. The program is, at its core, the opportunity for exceptional young people displaying marked leadership potential to develop the character and tenacity to make a difference for themselves and their communities. For over 45 years, Outward Bound has offered wilderness expeditions across the United States. Hundreds of these courses are available year-round and range in length from four days to three months. Outward Bound courses emphasize personal growth, responsibility, teamwork, confidence, compassion, and environmental and community stewardship.

Eric received the NOLS Gateway Scholarship. It is designed to enable people to participate in NOLS courses that would not normally be able to attend due to financial or other life circumstances. Since 1965 NOLS has taken people of all ages on remote wilderness expeditions, teaching technical outdoor skills, leadership, and environmental ethics in some of the world’s wildest and most awe-inspiring classrooms. What NOLS teaches cannot be learned in a classroom or on a city street. It takes practice to learn outdoor skills and time to develop leadership. The wilderness provides the ideal setting for this unique education. Courses range from 10 days to a full academic year, they attract highly motivated students who want to learn how to lead. Their hands on, learn-by-doing approach means that our graduates get the skills they need to be competent, responsible wilderness travelers long after their course is over.

Full value of the three scholarships totaled over $10,000.