Community School has accepted 10 students into its new Outdoor Leadership Academy.

Building on 35 years of incorporating outdoor education into the Community School experience, the Outdoor Leadership Academy is designed for students who wish to take their outdoor leadership expertise to a higher level.  Also, it allows students to develop the skills, experience and certifications to lead outdoor trips.

“The Outdoor Leadership Academy was created for students whose primary goal is to develop their overall leadership abilities and who understand the leadership skills they develop on outdoor trips can be transferred to any setting,” stated Outdoor Program Director, Rob Landis.

The Outdoor Leadership Academy is open to Upper School students by application. This year, 10 students have recently been admitted to the program including freshmen Anders Fortuin, Will Harder, Jack Swanson and George Elliot; sophomores Taylor Adler and Nick Wright; and juniors Gunnar Ohlson; Zach Lindahl, Maranda Stopol and Ellie Swanson.

Outdoor Academy students are required to complete a core wilderness curriculum that includes courses in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, Wilderness Navigation, Expedition Planning and Leadership, and Leave No Trace. Students must plan and lead trips, perform wilderness-based community service, and present a wilderness resume and portfolio.

Additionally, students select and complete one of the following specialized skill-based sections, each with its own requirements: Mountain and Rock, Winter Backcountry Travel, or River. In addition to support from experienced faculty members, students will be mentored and advised by community members who include some of the finest alpinists, rock climbers, river experts, and backcountry skiers in the country.

Sun Valley has an incredible array of outdoor experts, and the Outdoor Leadership Academy hopes to connect students with these experts through the mentor program and community service. Students who successfully complete the Outdoor Leadership Academy curriculum receive a certificate of completion and create a professional quality wilderness resume as part of their capstone project.

“Our new boarding facility will allow high school students from around the country who have an interest in outdoor leadership to come to Sun Valley and experience the wealth of opportunity found in the mountains, rivers and wilderness surrounding our school,” stated Landis.

For more information, please contact Rob Landis at 208.622.3955 ext. 121 or by email at rlandis@communityschool.org.