​
Outdoor Academy in Public Schools
By working in local public school systems, Outdoor Academy is meeting our students where they are at, helping to minimize common barriers in getting youth connected to the outdoors
Classes in Public Schools
​In the ‘24-’25 school year Outdoor Academy is teaching classes both at the Taos High School and the Taos Pueblo Day School. Our classes are focused on fly fishing and fly tying as a way to foster a connection to the Monument. Students in these classes learn about the macroinvertebrates in the Rio Grande as indicators of water quality and how to mimic them at the tying bench. Throughout the year we host multiple fly fishing outings in order to get students on the water and to improve their angling skills in real time. Each of these events also has a land conservation element in which students participate in trash cleanup or land restoration projects. By teaching these classes in the public schools we are meeting the Taoseño youth where they are at, helping to minimize common barriers in getting youth connected to the outdoors.
School Outings
Outdoor Academy hosts school outings in which local students are able to go boating and fishing on local stretches of the Rio. One highlight from last school year was when Vista Grande High School students participated in a field trip to the Rio where they floated and fished with local guides, exposing them to new forms of recreation and connecting them to their public lands. Each student had the ability to both float and fish while learning from professionals about the opportunities for recreation and professional work in the Monument. These students were all smiles for a great day on the water, and this field trip helped Outdoor Academy to further expand their sphere of influence to a larger group of students who do not attend the public schools that we more regularly work with.
​Fly Fishing Club
Our Youth Outreach Coordinator, Ben Mortensen started a fly fishing club early on in the 23-24 school year in which he taught students the necessary skills to become independent fly anglers. In the fall and spring, students met once a week to receive casting lessons and practice skills such as knot tying and reading water. In the winter, students learned the art of fly tying and began filling their boxes with flies they tied themselves. Outdoor Academy was able to provide these students with all the necessary gear, helping to reduce any barriers that may stand in their way in participating in a sport. The members of this club also participated in multiple guided fly fishing trips with Taos Fly Shop where they learned angling skills in real time, on the Rio, free of charge. Working side by side with local guides these students were able to grow quickly as anglers and received hands-on experience connecting them to the Monument and their local waters. A dedicated group of 10 students grew significantly in their angling skills this year thanks to this program and we at the Friends Group are excited to watch their skills continue to grow in the upcoming school year.
