Wyoming Testimonials – 2010 AWLS Participants

Tiffany Osselborn - “I want to thank you and the rest of the AWLS staff for taking the time to make the week I spent at the school so special. The food was fantastic, the overnight camping was an incredible experience as well as an educational one and the hikes were all so much fun. It was an experience I will never forget and I hope SCI continues to educate students and teachers about wildlife conservation and leadership. I plan on returning to AWLS after I graduate college to participate in the teacher session, it's something I'm greatly looking forward too.

The 2010 AWLS 1 Class - "Dear AWLS Staff, Thank you for your energy, enthusiasm and instruction.  Your love for the outdoors has truly inspired us!  For everything, thank you!" 

Megan Elmore   2010 Educator Workshop, Fox River Valley Chapter - Thank you so much for your stories and guidance!  I truly enjoyed all of the activites you offered us during Session 1. I can't wait to start implementing the activities and lessons from Project Wild!

Frank Blair - Today is the one year anniversary of the best Workshop I ever went to.  Wish I was there now.

Colleen Phillips-Birdsong, Southwest Ohio Chapter -  I wanted to send you a brief note to thank you and the Southwest Ohio Chapter of Safari Club International for sponsoring me to attend the AWLS class in Jackson, Wyoming.  As a non-hunter and novice shooter, this course was a unique opportunity for me to be introduced to both sports.  I learned a great deal about the role of hunting and hunters in wildlife management.  I now have a greater understanding and respect for participants of gun sports that I never would have had the opportunity to develop without the support of people such as you.  Through the Archery in the Schools Program in which I am now a certified instructor, I will be able to share this knowledge with my students.

 In addition, I also learned a great deal about the ecological and geological past, present, and furture of the state of Wyoming.  I will also be able to share this knowledge with my students via the Project WILD program and via other instructional techniques we learned during the course.  My ultimate goal is to help my students form a connection with and appreciation for nature so that they have a vested interest in conserving it in the future.  The support of you and your SCI chapter made all of this possible and I am expremely grateful for the opportunity you all have afforded me.

Michael Dahlman, Badgerland Chapter - Please share my profound thanks with all of the AWLS staff members for making my experience in Wyoming so fun, enlightening and memorable.  You have a really talented group of instructors and the program you've devised is first class.  My battery is recharged for the coming school year and I can't wait to share what I've learned with my colleagues and students.

Wyoming Testimonials – 2009

Alyssa Radtke, San Francisco Bay Area Sables - “AWLS not only provides its students with the technical knowledge needed to relay information, but also the experiences that accompany them. When I returned to the classroom this year, I was excited to share the thrill of shooting a gun for the first time with my students. Many were able to share their own hunting experiences with me. Not all learning takes places in the classroom and after hearing a 13 year old explain gun safety it is apparent."

John & Laura Valley, Northern Nevada Chapter – “What a wonderful week, with beautiful mountains and wildlife around us, as well as outstanding instructors and staff to make the week complete. You had a part in our experience, with your sponsorship and support on a national level. The information we learned will impact many students within our community.”

Linda Stanley, Sables – “It is a great program for educators. I had never shot a gun until my experience in Wyoming. I now have a shotgun and enjoy shooting.”

Janie Braud, Central Wyoming Chapter – “The AWLS staff and volunteers were extremely knowledgeable and very atentitive to our individual interests as well as making us very comfortable. Our group experienced a wide range of activities from making fly tackle, shooting sports, dip netting for stream invertebrates, ecology field trips, and white-water rafting. The information learned will be passed on to other teachers and students, and I have experienced many personal firsts from my travel adventure. Although my dad was a hunter, I had never shot a shotgun before - and I can't say I was very good, but was very proud of that accomplishment!"

 June Cady, Roswell Sables– “The AWLS staff was terrific, professional, knowledgeable, pleasant, and helpful. The facilities were great and the setting inspirational. The field trips and special activities were a welcome reinforcement to the classroom learning. I am sharing the books and hand-outs with the teaching staff at our school. Making new contacts was great."

Cynthia Bardman, Lehigh Valley Chapter – “AWLS was such a unique experience that I will never forget. The experience gave me further insight into not only land and animal conservation, but also the role hunting plays in ecosystem balance. Attending AWLS has helped provide strategies for introducing students to our wildlife in meaningful ways. The children will benefit from this experience. As their teacher, I will be able to provide them with more hands on and action packed lessons related to stream and wildlife ecology, biology, botany, ecosystems, and much more." 

Rhonda Spidell, Northern New Mexico Chapter – “I teach earth systems science and I am already reorganizing my curriculum. I was impressed with how much SCI does to help educators understand the "bigger picture" of wildlife ecology. Not only did I solidify my ecology knowledge, but my experiences helped me build confidence in my abilities. I am making plans to buy a shotgun and participate in responsible hunting.