Youth Guide Schools
As part of the Outdoor Academy, our Youth Guide Schools offer hands-on training for students interested in careers in outdoor recreation. These programs specialize in fly fishing and whitewater rafting and serve as the advanced training step in our broader pathway—from classroom learning to paid internships. Through immersive, multi-day sessions with professional guides, students gain technical skills, certifications, and gear to keep, reducing barriers to entry and setting them up for success.
Whether students pursue work as guides, outfitters, or land stewards, the Youth Guide Schools help them grow into confident, capable outdoor professionals—rooted in their home communities and connected to the public lands they’ve grown up around.
Our Youth Guide Schools are immersive, skills-based programs designed to train high school students in the fundamentals of guiding while deepening their connection to public lands. Students participate in either a fly fishing or whitewater rafting track, where they learn essential outdoor leadership skills like customer service, reading water, trip planning, river safety, entomology, and conservation ethics. Each participant receives all required gear—such as rods, reels, waders, or PFDs—free of charge and theirs to keep, eliminating financial barriers and allowing them to continue practicing and growing beyond the program.
These guide schools are not just about outdoor skills—they are about building confidence, professionalism, and a strong conservation ethic. Students learn from seasoned local guides and land stewards, engage in hands-on restoration projects, and finish the course better prepared for future employment. Many go on to participate in paid internships with local outfitters or land agencies, continuing their journey toward meaningful careers in the outdoor industry.