From the Trailhead

By Devin Winter, Director

The leaves swaying on the trees outside of my office window are a mixture of green, red, and a yellowy-orange. Their striking colors constantly remind me of the changes I see in myself as well as in the Center. 

In fall, leaves reach their peak colors just in time for the wind to pluck them from their branches into the air and then lay them to rest on the earth’s soil. Slowly, the tree begins its entry into a long winter.

For me, it seems too early to be in this seasonal transition. When I transitioned from Assistant Director to Director in July, I had so many ideas and plans it was difficult to pinpoint a place to start. Everything was new and vibrant and green, like the leaves and plants surrounding me. 

As the Fall outdoor ed season approached, I began focusing on several distinct goals that emerged before me like the changing foliage. My strength lies in teaching, as I graduated from The University of Delaware with a B.S. in Elementary Education. During

staff training, I presented information about learning styles, teaching to age level, ways to encourage students, and how to approach classroom management. As an outdoor education center, our first and foremost concern is our quality of teaching to the students who come here. Consequently, by next fall, my goal is to illustrate how each of our classes meets the New York State Learning Standards.

Perhaps one of the most exciting adventures I have embarked upon since becoming director is my vision to turn The Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center nonprofit by fall of 2008. I am excited to announce that this week we received approval from the Department of Education in New York to pass our Certificate of Incorporation on to the Department of State. Becoming nonprofit is advantageous for several reasons. I hope to obtain grants to improve our curriculum materials, to offer our programming to under-funded schools, and to construct a green dorm in replace of the soon-to-be-renovated Junior House.

As the leaves blow onto the Adirondack trails that I love to hike on, I continue to press forward with my long-term visions for Poko—and hold close the magnificent colors of the North Country autumn, for I know what lies just around the corner. ■

The Draw of the Adirondacks

By Jeremiah Meizis, Instructor

As I pushed through the thick Spruce trees, slowly crawling over their dead brethren, rain cascading down my back, I began to question my decision to take a job as a wilderness instructor in nearby Saranac Lake. Now, after living here for almost six months I would be hard pressed to go anywhere else.

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Snow White and the Seven Camp Animals

By Adam Gelroth, Instructor

I always figured that coming to work for Pok-O-MacCready would be a magical sort of experience, but little did I imagine that, as one of the latest batch of Outdoor Educators, I would be stepping into a fairy tale.

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