Dear Friends,
I love these mountains; they are the home of my family. To me, they are a nest- a place of comfort, nurturing life. They are wise – having seen and supported many different species and cultures over thousands of years while being shaped and molded by the elements into the mountains we see today. They are powerful – ever deserving of respect. They are generous – ever giving, providing us with endless lessons.
From boyhood, I knew I would learn and teach in these mountains. My love of learning matured into, and supports, my passion for teaching. As a teacher, I feel it is our responsibility to nurture a connection, no matter how small, with the land in which we live. Through this connection, I have seen all kinds of people grow in countless positive ways. Exploring new valleys, climbing new ridges, paddling new rivers, meeting new plants and animals, feeling the rain on my shoulders and the sun on my face keeps me invigorated! But to share this with friends and family makes me whole. We have been provided with this incredible classroom, it is our task to make the lessons come alive.
At Buffalo Cove Outdoor Education Center, this is our mission: To create a physically and emotionally safe learning environment where individuals can find harmony and empowerment through self understanding, self confidence, simple living, friendships and fun. In these modern times: computer communication has taken the place of looking somebody in the eye and having a conversation; clean water, fresh air and healthy food are hard to come by; and video games have replaced neighborhood games of “kick the can.” Finding harmony within your self can be a daunting task. Gaining empowerment through self-confidence and community support is an experience so few of us have really embraced. I feel these are basic human needs that help to create a solid foundation from which “goodness” radiates. We have chosen the lessons of the Southern Appalachians, the experiences that lie within these windy ridge tops and wise valleys, as the path we travel on our journey to accomplish this mission.
But let us not forget fun! Sure, it is easy to get bogged down in the state of our world today. The myriad of environmental, social, economic and political issues form somewhat of an intimidating shadow that looms over us all. We take our mission and our learning seriously, but that in no way means we forget the very important aspect of fun. We do strive to make every day as fun as possible. Laughter is good medicine and having fun is a great way to grow and learn – we know this well!
I do appreciate your interest in our program; please do not hesitate to call me with any questions or concerns you may have. I hope that one day we can meet in person without this screen between us.
Still Learnin’,
Nathan
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