"Now I see the secret of making the best person. It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."
--Walt Whitman
As I continue to teach, it has become evident to me that many of the basic fundamentals of life are not being learned by our students. Success in college and in the world is based on the understanding and use of common sense and learned behavior. Jill and I have developed a summer school program that gets students away from the distractions of home and focuses on building the important language skills students will need to be successful in high school and college as well as the skills necessary to remain safe while enjoying Alaska's Wilderness.
We have class at our cabin on Caribou Island on Skilak Lake that allows us to spend time together as a class building skills that will last a lifetime.
The Instructors:
Gary and Jill Leiter have lived, hiked, and camped in Alaska since 1981. Gary has his Master's degree in Education and Jill is working on a Master's degree in Counseling. Gary is a certified High School English and Math teacher and has taught for 16 years. He is recognized as a "highly qualified" teacher by the State of Alaska and the State of Oregon. Jill has a degree in counseling, has taught school, and has worked at several camps over the years. Gary and Jill have taken teen groups on backpacking trips as well as canoe trips for more than fifteen years. They have owned and operated a backpack guiding buisiness and have contracted backpacking trips for a local air charter as well as area Bed and Breakfasts. Gary and Jill have worked at, and managed lodges on the west side of Cook Inlet specializing in bear viewing and ecotourism. They have also designed and led Outdoor Education courses during the school year and summers for teens in the area for the past 8 years. Gary is also certified as a fishing vessel drill instructor, and a U.S. Coast Guard-accepted marine safety instructor. He also has his "operator of uninspected passenger vessel" (6-pack) license.
Writing Journeys meets July 7-13
Cold Water Safety and Survival Training offers two different dates: June 1-7 and June 16-22
