The Rocky Mountain Conservancy High School Leadership Corps has finished up another successful summer bringing high school students into Rocky Mountain National Park for an 11-day immersive outdoor experience where students learned about environmental stewardship, personal leadership and practical outdoor skills.

The leadership corps is held two times over the summer where 17 students got to experience working alongside Conservancy field coordinators and park professionals on service projects. Participants spent half of their time working on recreation and conservation projects, and spent the other half in personal and professional development sessions.

These students got to learn about what potential careers in the public lands and conservation could look like. The program also included lots of time for fun and exploring the outdoors, students got to experience backcountry hikes as well as exploring Trail Ridge Road.

“The Leadership Corps is an awesome experience for students to get outside of their comfort zone and also meet and work with people from a variety of places and backgrounds,” high school leadership corps field coordinator, Maddy Brunson, stated in a press release.

Participants also get to make friends with students from across the state.

“We had to work together to carry huge rocks down the trail,” Zoe Kugler said in a press release, who is a student from Lafayette. “You’ve got to talk and work together and make sure no one is getting their feet squished.”

Another participant, Shira Nathan, from Lafayette said that their favorite experience was a three-day long backpacking trip to the Comanche Wilderness located in Roosevelt National Forest to build a log bridge across Little Beaver Creek. Nathan said that they enjoyed learning practical skills, like learning how to use a vintage crosscut saw.

Even though the camp is over this year, the conservancy stewardship team is working to review feedback and are beginning the planning and preparations for next summer’s session.

Those who are interested or know someone who may be interested are encouraged to check the Rocky Mountain Conservancy website and keeping an eye on when applications open again.

There are just a few requirements for this program. Applicants have to be willing to camp for 10 days in Rocky Mountain National Park, hike 3-5 miles with a fully loaded backpack and lift up to 30 pounds. Applicants must also be a high school student and Colorado resident. This year, participants came from Denver, Aurora and the northern Front Range (Lafayette, Lyons, Longmont, Windsor, Erie and Estes Park).

The program provides full uniforms for participants, a $400 stipend upon completion, free gear rentals and the experience of backpacking and living in a tent in Rocky Mountain National Park. The conservancy provides gear and uniforms to students in order to remove major financial barriers that young people might face when it comes to getting involved outside.

“We’ve intentionally removed as many barriers as possible to get a diverse and interesting group of students into the outdoors,” Ian Stafford said, who is the director of stewardship and policy at the conservancy in a press release.

“We’re looking for HSLC to be a positive, life-changing experience,” Stafford said. “We bring together a diverse group of students to live and camp in Rocky Mountain National Park as a unit, with a leadership and teamwork component to daily living. At camp, they spend time journaling, taking ownership over the day’s responsibilities, and working together to complete chores. The program culminates in a celebratory picnic with their families.”