Rhoda Boettcher Helps Conduct Wilderness Awareness Workshop

2014 Dec 2

REDDING, Calif. -- Rhoda Boettcher of Eatonville, an Outdoor Leadership major, was one of eight students in the Outdoor Leadership program at Simpson University who created and conducted a wilderness ethics awareness workshop in late October.

Sharing principles such as "trash your trash" and "respect wildlife," the students introduced Rother Elementary first-graders to what it means to 'Leave No Trace' as part of a class assignment.

"The assignment offered students the opportunity to teach others about Leave No Trace, and thus perform an ethical act on behalf of wild spaces," said Dr. Paul Stonehouse, associate professor of Outdoor Leadership.

Dr. Stonehouse teaches a Leave No Trace class as part of the Outdoor Leadership program's Immersion Semester. The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics "teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly" by minimizing unnecessary impacts to natural environments, according to its website.

During the class, students become Leave No Trace trainers, Dr. Stonehouse said. One of their assignments is to conduct an awareness workshop.

"The students loved it," teacher Marissa Fuller said. "We visited a pumpkin patch later, and as we were walking around, they couldn't stop talking about 'not leaving any trace behind'."

Using skits, props, activities, games and a song, the Simpson students demonstrated Leave No Trace's seven principles for kids: know before you go; choose the right path; trash your trash; leave what you find; be careful with fire; respect wildlife; and be kind to other visitors.

"The presentation was very informational," Fuller said.

Simpson University's Outdoor Leadership program is in its eighth year. Graduates of the program are working for the YMCA, Redding Recreation, Sonoma Canopy Tours, Alliance Redwoods Camp and Conference Center, Mount Hermon Christian Camps, The Boy Scouts of America, North Greenville University (as an Outdoor Leadership Immersion Semester instructor), Minnesota State University at Mankato (Challenge Course graduate assistant), Montgomery Creek Group Home (wilderness instructors), The Santa Barbara Adventure Company, and Eastern Mountain Sports (assistant manager), among other locations.

Learn more about the Outdoor Leadership program at simpsonu.edu/outdoorleadership.