The CatRock Youth Leadership Academy is the program at the heart of CatRock Ventures. The program is a multi-year and certification program that supports the growth and development of students through experiential learning in multiple contexts: outdoor adventure, leadership, and environmental education.
Outdoor adventure is a powerful hook that energizes and engages youth. Adventure-based challenges encourage students to get outside of their comfort zone and develop a sense of their own potential through the mastery of difficult outdoor experiences. Expeditions may include but are not limited to hiking, camping, backpacking, rock climbing, rafting, and snowboarding.
Leadership development is at the heart of everything CatRock sets out to do. CatRock’s programming builds upon best practices in promoting SEL and incorporates activities that enable students to acquire knowledge and develop skills to prepare them for youth leadership roles.
Environmental education is an essential part of the program, focused on empowering youth to address community and environmental issues within their local communities. Social entrepreneurship and service-learning projects are examples of ways students actively engage in problem-solving.
The Leadership Academy partners with the nationally recognized Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) program and the Discover Outdoors Foundation. Most of the Academy’s activities are based in the outdoors so students learn through real, hands-on experiences. Expeditions include, but are not limited to, hiking, camping, backpacking, rock climbing, rafting and snowboarding.
During the program students are encouraged to document their experiences using journals and cameras. From there, students come back to our Adventure Makerspace and Design Lab to learn basic skills of blogging and design. This provides them the opportunity to share their experiences with the world - advancing their literacy and technology skills.
CatRock Youth Leadership Academy graduates co-lead outdoor trips for younger students through the ICO network locally and nationally. They become group leaders in many of CatRock’s trips and community service projects. Graduates frequently volunteer to help mentor younger students.
