As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the many milestones and accomplishments of 2024. It has been an incredible year of growth for the Wildlife Leadership Academy, and we are excited to share the highlights with you!
Launching the Stepping Stones Program This year, we introduced the Stepping Stones Program, designed as an introductory weekend program for students just getting their feet wet in conservation. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Association, the Stepping Stones Program used fly fishing as a recreational pathway for students to learn about fisheries biology, conservation, and leadership skills development.
Fifteen students joined us to learn about the history of fly fishing, fishing ethics, aquatic macroinvertebrates, fly tying, fly casting, conservation, and, of course, fly fishing. After graduating as official Conservation Advocates, the program’s participants engaged in 157 community outreach projects. These students spent 446 hours on these projects, reaching an audience of 859 people across the state!
Signature Summer Field Schools Our summer field schools continue to be the heart of our mission. This year we celebrated our 18th class of Conservation Ambassadors! Five field schools brought together over 120 participants from 47 counties across the commonwealth as well as one student each from Virginia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, and California.
This year’s field schools saw students immersing themselves both in the classroom and in the field. Guided by natural resource professionals, students explored species’ natural history, learned management and research techniques, and tapped into their naturalist skills. Students were encouraged to ask questions and take a closer look at careers in the field. Our field schools also emphasized leadership, communication, and teamwork through projects, presentations, and team-building challenges.
The Class of 2024 is currently following through with their outreach in their home communities through education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship projects! We can’t wait to receive their outreach record books and share their impact with you soon.
The Apprentice Program: A New Path to Leadership One of the most exciting additions to 2024 was the launch of our Apprentice Program, offering younger alumni advanced opportunities to lead, learn, and grow during summer field schools. This new initiative bridges the gap between participation and professional development, empowering students to learn the behind-the-scenes of field school while preparing for their future careers.
In 2024, the Academy trained 13 apprentices during Brookies (4 apprentices), Gobblers (4 apprentices), and Ursids (5 apprentices). Apprentices were able to take part in specialized training, received apprentice-exclusive educational opportunities, were mentored by summer staff, and were given opportunities to “supervise” the classroom/field activities.
Bringing Alumni Together In August, the Academy hosted Winner’s Educational Weekend, a reward event for students (and their parents) of the “top team” at each field school. In addition, alumni were invited to join in on the activities as our first Alumni Reunion since 2019! This much-anticipated event was a chance for Wildlife Leadership Academy alumni to reconnect, network, and celebrate the lasting bonds formed during their time at the Academy. Students, mentors, and alumni from various graduating years came together for a memorable weekend of fun, food, and friendship.
Branching Out With Advanced Conservation Ambassador Training In partnership with the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, the Academy hosted its first Advanced Educational Training since 2019. In October, eighteen students participated in an immersive forestry-themed weekend exclusively for Academy youth alumni. Activities included a campfire singalong about the history of the forests of Pennsylvania, a lecture on forest management for wildlife, tree identification in the field, a tour of Metzler Forest Products, discussions about careers in the wood products industry, virtual reality experiences in urban forestry, and a visit from the Department of Agriculture’s Woodmobile.
Celebrating Alumni Voices In 2024, we also launched our “In Their Own Words” video series, highlighting the experiences of our alumni. Through these heartfelt interviews, alumni shared how the Academy shaped their paths, from building their confidence to igniting their passion for conservation. This series has quickly become a favorite, allowing us to celebrate their successes and showcase the lasting impact of the Academy.
Amplifying Outreach and Impact One of the most rewarding parts of our work is seeing how students and alumni take what they’ve learned at the Wildlife Leadership Academy and use it to make a difference in their communities. In 2024, their outreach efforts reached new heights, with participants engaging in meaningful projects across five categories: education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship.
Submitting their outreach record books in March of this year, the class of 2023 shattered all previous outreach records, including the number of projects completed (1,400+), the number of people impacted (31,500+), and the number of hours served (5,700+)! Their dedication and hard work have made a significant impact and we couldn’t be more proud.
Looking Ahead As we reflect on all we’ve achieved this year, we are filled with gratitude for the students, alumni, supporters, and partners who make this work possible. Stay tuned for an even more exciting 2025, where the Academy plans to dig its roots deeper, connect more with our communities, and watch with amazement as our alumni create positive change in our world. Thank you for being part of our journey, and for supporting the next generation of conservation leaders.
Reflecting on 2024
Posted: December 28, 2024 by Katie Mace
As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the many milestones and accomplishments of 2024. It has been an incredible year of growth for the Wildlife Leadership Academy, and we are excited to share the highlights with you!
Launching the Stepping Stones Program
This year, we introduced the Stepping Stones Program, designed as an introductory weekend program for students just getting their feet wet in conservation. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Association, the Stepping Stones Program used fly fishing as a recreational pathway for students to learn about fisheries biology, conservation, and leadership skills development.
Fifteen students joined us to learn about the history of fly fishing, fishing ethics, aquatic macroinvertebrates, fly tying, fly casting, conservation, and, of course, fly fishing. After graduating as official Conservation Advocates, the program’s participants engaged in 157 community outreach projects. These students spent 446 hours on these projects, reaching an audience of 859 people across the state!
Signature Summer Field Schools
Our summer field schools continue to be the heart of our mission. This year we celebrated our 18th class of Conservation Ambassadors! Five field schools brought together over 120 participants from 47 counties across the commonwealth as well as one student each from Virginia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, and California.
This year’s field schools saw students immersing themselves both in the classroom and in the field. Guided by natural resource professionals, students explored species’ natural history, learned management and research techniques, and tapped into their naturalist skills. Students were encouraged to ask questions and take a closer look at careers in the field. Our field schools also emphasized leadership, communication, and teamwork through projects, presentations, and team-building challenges.
The Class of 2024 is currently following through with their outreach in their home communities through education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship projects! We can’t wait to receive their outreach record books and share their impact with you soon.
Click here to take a look at the 2024 field school highlight videos!
The Apprentice Program: A New Path to Leadership
One of the most exciting additions to 2024 was the launch of our Apprentice Program, offering younger alumni advanced opportunities to lead, learn, and grow during summer field schools. This new initiative bridges the gap between participation and professional development, empowering students to learn the behind-the-scenes of field school while preparing for their future careers.
In 2024, the Academy trained 13 apprentices during Brookies (4 apprentices), Gobblers (4 apprentices), and Ursids (5 apprentices). Apprentices were able to take part in specialized training, received apprentice-exclusive educational opportunities, were mentored by summer staff, and were given opportunities to “supervise” the classroom/field activities.
Bringing Alumni Together
In August, the Academy hosted Winner’s Educational Weekend, a reward event for students (and their parents) of the “top team” at each field school. In addition, alumni were invited to join in on the activities as our first Alumni Reunion since 2019! This much-anticipated event was a chance for Wildlife Leadership Academy alumni to reconnect, network, and celebrate the lasting bonds formed during their time at the Academy. Students, mentors, and alumni from various graduating years came together for a memorable weekend of fun, food, and friendship.
Branching Out With Advanced Conservation Ambassador Training
In partnership with the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, the Academy hosted its first Advanced Educational Training since 2019. In October, eighteen students participated in an immersive forestry-themed weekend exclusively for Academy youth alumni. Activities included a campfire singalong about the history of the forests of Pennsylvania, a lecture on forest management for wildlife, tree identification in the field, a tour of Metzler Forest Products, discussions about careers in the wood products industry, virtual reality experiences in urban forestry, and a visit from the Department of Agriculture’s Woodmobile.
Celebrating Alumni Voices
In 2024, we also launched our “In Their Own Words” video series, highlighting the experiences of our alumni. Through these heartfelt interviews, alumni shared how the Academy shaped their paths, from building their confidence to igniting their passion for conservation. This series has quickly become a favorite, allowing us to celebrate their successes and showcase the lasting impact of the Academy.
Click here to watch the series on YouTube!
Amplifying Outreach and Impact
One of the most rewarding parts of our work is seeing how students and alumni take what they’ve learned at the Wildlife Leadership Academy and use it to make a difference in their communities. In 2024, their outreach efforts reached new heights, with participants engaging in meaningful projects across five categories: education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship.
Submitting their outreach record books in March of this year, the class of 2023 shattered all previous outreach records, including the number of projects completed (1,400+), the number of people impacted (31,500+), and the number of hours served (5,700+)! Their dedication and hard work have made a significant impact and we couldn’t be more proud.
Click here to explore more of our impact on the Academy’s website!
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on all we’ve achieved this year, we are filled with gratitude for the students, alumni, supporters, and partners who make this work possible. Stay tuned for an even more exciting 2025, where the Academy plans to dig its roots deeper, connect more with our communities, and watch with amazement as our alumni create positive change in our world. Thank you for being part of our journey, and for supporting the next generation of conservation leaders.
Category: Youth Blog Tags: 2024, featured, wildlife, youth