About Us
Great Basin Outdoor School (GBOS) offers experienced naturalists in an outdoor setting where teachers bring their classes to study for several days at a time. Students discover and explore the natural environment through hands-on activities in small groups. They build confidence and teamwork skills and develop more respect and appreciation for themselves, for each other, and for the environment. Nevada's rich natural and human history comes alive, and the curriculum based program also encompasses math, writing, physical, and creative activities.
New Experiences Lead to New Successes
In the outdoor educational setting, students' capabilities expand. Students challenged by textbooks and classroom learning often discover new potential for personal growth and success. "Team challenge" activities help students develop interpersonal skills, respect, responsibility, and self-esteem.
Outdoor School Integrates:
math...music...language
arts...creativity...sciences...art...observation...social
studies...physical education...communication and
problem-solving..."real world" application of regular
curriculum...active citizenship. GBOS addresses many of the Nevada
State Content Standards.
A Proven Record
Students learn best from first-hand experiences involving a number of the senses. Studies confirm the positive, lasting impact outdoor school experience has on students' interest in the natural sciences, their appreciation of the environment, and their positive attitudes toward one another. The healthy, productive, satisfying lives we envision for our children are dependent upon maintaining environmental quality and resources and the skills, attitudes and knowledge they can develop at outdoor school. Studies Supporting Place-Based Education
Hands-on Lessons Build Academic Skills...
Cooperative activities build positive values, and service learning projects build a sense of community, a work ethic, and a feeling of connection to and responsibility for the natural world. High school students gain leadership skills as they train to work with younger students on day and overnight field studies. Some earn community service credit. Some have planted trees and built trails, some participated in the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute and in career-awareness activities, and many lead activities for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders.
Student gains were documented in a recent study entitled "Closing the Achievement Gap" (http://www.seer.org/)... Teachers who used the environment as an integrating context reported renewed enthusiasm and commitment, and students improved on standardized tests, attendance, and attitudes.
Business and organizations can help...
us ensure the quality of their future work force by sponsoring low-income children or adopting specific projects or programs. Send a speaker, give release time to a volunteer, help build a classroom, trail or office. Donate surplus equipment or supplies. Promote the outdoor school concept through meetings, newsletters, and personal contacts. Let kids know skills and traits valued in your career.
GBOS Staff Bios
Program Director
Loren Rupp "Ripple" has an extensive background working with young people in both wilderness and residential settings. As a graduate of The Evergreen State College, Loren developed a passion for the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. He began his career as an instructor with Outward Bound. He has led groups on multi-week wilderness trips on the rivers, mountains and forests of Florida, North Carolina, California, Oregon and Washington.
Loren moved to Tahoe to stay for just one ski season, but is still here after eight years! He was the Dorm Manager at Sugar Bowl Academy on Donner Summit and the Director of Residence at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village. When not at Camp, Loren is a coach for the Alpine Meadows Junior Development Team, and is an instructor at the Tahoe Adaptive Ski School where he assists people with disabilities learn to ski. In his free time, Loren likes to make music, as well as mountain bike and sea kayak in the summer, and has a special fondness for nordic skiing in the winter.
Lead Naturalist
Kate Bradley "Wandering Daisy" is a naturalist who has been with GBOS for a few seasons. Lake Tahoe is no big thing, as she is familiar with big cold lakes hailing from the Great Lakes region and most recently from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (da UP, eh?). She has always loved the outdoors and has enjoyed backpacking, snowboarding, and biking in the Midwest and west. Kate holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Michigan Technological University and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (go Huskers!). Although Kate spent several years doing research at the university level, she missed the joy of working with young people and is excited to be back working with elementary, middle, and high school students!