Written by Griffin Mansi
One of the tenets of the Colorado College Outdoor Education program is that all of the trips are student led. It is an approach that aims to create excursions that feel like real adventures rather than merely organized school outings. The Ahlberg Leadership Institute (ALI) was created as a program within the ORC to teach students the skills they need to lead other students in the outdoors. ALI certifies students at multiple levels in five disciplines: backcountry, climbing, skiing, rafting, and kayaking.
The first level of certification is Backcountry Level I, which is required before students can pursue any of the other disciplines, also known as leader tracks. To achieve Level I, a student must take the Level I training, have CPR/First Aid or a higher medical training, and participate in two CC Outdoor Ed trips. After becoming a fully certified Level I leader, one can pursue any other track.
The next main leader level is Backcountry Level II. This track takes more certifications such as wilderness first responder, Level II training, and experience leading trips. Level II training is completed on multi-day trips over spring break, over the course of a block, or independently through a mentorship with a more experienced leader.
According to Rachael Abler, Outdoor Education Specialist for CC Outdoor Ed, roughly 25 percent of students who earn Backcountry Level I move on to Level II.
However, one issue that the outdoor education program faces is that there are a number of students who are stuck between levels. These students have completed some but not all of the requirements to earn the next leader level.
CC has many extracurricular activities that students can participate in and it makes it easy for students to start something and not finish it. Some may begin the leader track and realize that being an outdoor education leader ist for them. However, others may not know how to advance their leader status and may need extra support.
“We are trying to see how we can assist students in what to do next,” says Abler.
Abler has been a member of the ORC for a year now, and she has been working hard to overhaul the program. She has revitalized the Gear House and now she has made it her goal to organize the leader program.
Due to the complicated nature of certifications, it is sometimes difficult to see exactly who is in between levels and what they need to complete. Abler plans to help students by organizing the process so that students know exactly what they need to do to become a leader. Likewise, she has proposed a formal mentorship program where high-level leaders help others who are trying to progress in the leader tracks.