WALDO COUNTY TECHNICAL CENTER

The mountains, fields, forests, and waterways of Maine serve as the classroom for WCTC’s Outdoor Leadership program. The curriculum emphasizes five content areas:  outdoor living & technical skills, trip planning & risk management, facilitation skills & community building, leadership studies, and professional exploration of the natural world.

The program will provide a solid foundation for students wishing to pursue careers as adventure educators, recreational guides, trail crew professionals, park rangers, foresters, game wardens, search & rescue professionals, and field scientists, among others.

A sampling of the outdoor living & technical skills we explore in the first year of the program include, but are not limited to, map & compass, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, recreational kayaking, snowshoeing, trail maintenance, survival skills, shelter & campsite selection, water treatment & source selection, camp stove use, outdoor cooking & menu planning, winter campcraft, knot tying and backcountry self-care

Students will also have the opportunity to attempt completion of a Leave No Trace Trainer certificate and Wilderness First Aid certification. A second year Outdoor Leadership course builds upon the skills/knowledge/abilities developed in year 1 and provides additional opportunities to take on more leadership responsibility.  Rock climbing (indoor and out) and sea kayaking will be developed in year 2 as well as Naturalist Studies & the opportunity to earn a Wilderness First Responder Certification.

4 Credits  AM or PM (PM class generally for 2nd year students)