Professional Introduction I take a unique approach to the traditional educational teaching methods. I am passionate about leadership and character development in our youth as part of outdoor adventure experiences, thus I am focusing my post-graduate academic goals toward learning, instruction and innovation in education. From a young age I have been interested in the holistic development of our youth. Being inherently curious about the natural world and its stewardship developed a sense of responsibility in me at a young age, but not just toward the environment but also toward the people around me. The summation of my knowledge and experiences developed the central tenet of my teaching mission. Thus, my intention of post-graduate learning …show more content…
This facilitated an instinctive path where I obtained a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. At the age of sixteen my enthusiasm for leadership and team development grew from facilitating at a challenge course. By the age of twenty-one I was managing a challenge course with a staff of high school facilitators. I obtained a Master’s Degree in Education and brought my experience to New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI). For over ten years I have developed the leadership and character development program “from the ground up” at my Alma-Matter. The myriad of duties include inspection, hiring, training, safety, and program implementation at three facilities: a Low and High Ropes Course, Rappel Tower, and a Leadership Reaction Course (LRC) as part of an outcomes based curricular and co-curricular leadership and character development program. I oversee 20-40 student “facilitators” who develop adventure based leadership programs that are fundamentally aligned with the institutional mission and integrated with the academic curriculum. I currently teach leadership classes, and have been an adjunct instructor co-teaching our US Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at the college level, and taught Junior ROTC Leadership Education and Training instructors at the high school level. I am an instructor for leadership at various summer camps that