Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Page A-3
Mandy Noel: New youth education coordinator
Cilicia Philemon
IVN Contributing Writer
New youth education programs
(YEP) coordinator Mandy Noel
started working at The Siskiyou
Field Institute (SFI) the first week
of March. Many programs were
already scheduled for the spring
and summer, so she hit the ground
running. Noel had her first field trip
for 70 six-graders from the Valley
School in Medford March 18 where
they investigated the water quality
of Deer Creek, Squaw Creek and the
reservoir.“They were a great first
group,” Noel said.
Noel was born and raised
in Hannibal, Missouri along the
Mississippi River (Mark Twain’s
boyhood town). She first moved to
the Rogue Valley in 2012 when she
was hired by the Medford District
Bureau of Land Management
(BLM).
After graduating from Southern
Oregon University in the spring
of 2015, Noel continued to work
for the BLM through the fall of
2015 and then moved to Wisconsin
where she worked as a membership
services associate for the Aldo
Leopold Foundation. “I was very
pleased when I found out about the
job opening as YEP instructor for
the Siskiyou Field Institute. After
landing the job, I relocated back to
Oregon this March. I am currently
residing in Grants Pass, but plan to
move to Selma in April,” Noel said.
Noel is responsible for
coordinating and instructing
programs for school groups on a
variety of subjects. Topics include
memorable mammals for third and
fourth grade; songbirds, science
and outdoor school for fifth grade,
geobotany for seventh and eighth
grade, and watershed science for
fifth-graders and up.
Noel said, “My favorite
part of my job is being outside!
I chose this career path because
I knew I couldn’t stand being at
a desk all day. I love people and
I love nature. I had the luxury of
spending my childhood exploring
the woods behind my parent’s home
in rural northeast Missouri where
I developed my sense of wonder
and strong connection to the natural
world. I want every child to feel
comfortable in the outdoors and have
the opportunity to disconnect from
technology and explore their natural
surroundings.
“I feel that time spent in nature
is essential to the health and well-
being of our youth who will be
managing our resources in the future.
Children must be educated about the
natural world to be successful future
land managers who will be faced
with increasingly difficult problems
of how to deal with the impacts
of climate change and develop
renewable energy to sustain our
lifestyles as populations continue to
grow worldwide,” Noel continued.
There are options for both
overnight and day field trips at SFI.
There are two yurts that can house
up to 30 students and jumbo tents to
accommodate larger groups. Along
with the educational opportunities
provided by the natural resources
at the site including the creeks, fen,
mountain and serpentine soils, there
is also an outdoor challenge.
In addition to the programs
held during the school year, camping
and backpacking trips are also
the cost of our programs inhibit you
learners.”
offered during the summer. The
from signing your class or child up
For any more information
summer outdoor programs include:
for an outdoor learning experience.
about either the school or summer
A middle school wilderness
We want to make our programs
programs, please contact Noel at
expedition which is a three day,
accessible to all and break down
youthprograms@thesfi.org or 541-
two night backpacking trip into the
barriers that may exist for low-
597-8530.
Siskiyou Wilderness for students
income individuals, students with
entering sixth – eighth grade. This
special needs and English-language-
year’s trip will be June 17 – 19.
SFI is also offering three high
school backpacking trips for both
Ashland and Illinois Valley high
schools. All of the backpacking
trips are limited to 13 participants
for each trip. Students must fill out
applications to be selected to join
on the backpacking trips. Limited
scholarships are available.
The Ashland High School
backpacking trip along the Illinois
River Trail in the Kalmiopsis
Wilderness will be June 21 – 29.
The same trip for both Ashland High
School and Illinois Valley High
School will be offered again July
1- July 9.
For the first time this year,
an alumni backpacking trip into
the Marble Mountains for students
and graduates is being offered for
students who have participated in the
backpacking trips in the past. This
trip will be held July 22-30.
In addition to the backpacking
trips, there will be at least two camps
this summer: an overnight middle
school outdoor adventure camp July
11 – 15 and a nature discovery day
camp for third-fifth-graders from
July 18-21.
Noel said, “I feel so blessed
to be in this beautiful part of the
world and I am excited to continue
to build relationships with teachers,
(Courtesy photo for The Illinois Valley News)
children, and parents within our
Students journal during the 2015 watershed science class.
local community. Please, do not let
R ed G aRteR
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12235 Redwood Hwy, Wonder
Mike
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Friday, April 1
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Karaoke
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Saturday, April 2
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Fri., April 1, 9 p.m.
Free Pool Games on
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Sportsman
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Saturdays, 8-11 p.m.
Party of Fools
Dawna Crocker & Rosie Wittman
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Jammer Dave’s
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Sat., April 2, 8 p.m.
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