Anake Outdoor School - Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to the Anake Outdoor School?
All adults age 18 and over may apply to the
Anake Outdoor School. There are no course prerequisites.
Who is the Anake Outdoor School intended for?
The Anake Outdoor School is an outdoor course intended for anyone interested
in deepening their understanding of the natural world in an intensive
training setting. The course is designed to meet the needs of a variety
of different types of students from young people directly out of high
school, to college students and recent graduates, as well as older adults.
Who are the instructors at the Anake Outdoor School?
With over 5 decades of combined experience teaching outdoor nature skills,
the Anake Outdoor School's core
instructors facilitate all aspects of the course, teaching, coordinating
guests and field trips, and serving as mentors to the student body. Chris
Laliberte, Nate Summers, Alexia Stevens and Marcus Reynerson serve as
the core course instructors, with additional staff
specialists sharing their knowledge in specific topics over the course
of the year.
The Anake Outdoor School also incorporates expert guest instructors that
visit the course to offer their unique perspective on special skills and
topics, including edible and medicinal plants expert Karen Sherwood, wilderness
survival skills expert Frank Sherwood, nature mentoring expert and renowned
tracker Jon Young, nature awareness and native scout skills expert Chris
Kenworthy, and traditional archery and longbow building expert Peter Yencken.
See their biographies.
What is class like at the Anake Outdoor School?
Class meets 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., three days a week (Wed. through Friday)
at Wilderness Awareness School's campus and other nearby locations. Each
day consists of both lecture and extensive hands-on, outdoor experiential
activities such as animal tracking exercises, wild edible gathering and
preparation, bird language exercises, awareness games, and survival skill
projects, to name a few.
The class also takes day trips and several extended field trips during
the course of the year. Each fall we go on a tracking expedition to the
beautiful Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, in winter we make an
extended trip, and during the spring the course goes out on a wilderness
survival expedition. Outside of class, students work on the Kamana
Naturalist Training Program and other assigned work.
What is the application process for the course?
Please Note We begin welcoming applications for the 2010-2011 school year on Nov. 1, 2009. See the application timeline and payment due dates for more details.
To apply, you can use our Anake Outdoor School On-line Application, or download an application in pdf format.
To receive an application packet by mail (which includes a free DVD
and color brochure about the course), please use our request
form.
Can International/Overseas Students Apply?
Yes. Wilderness Awareness School is authorized under Federal law to enroll
nonimmigrant alien students (international/overseas students). Please
use our request form
for more information about enrolling.
What are the backgrounds of the Program's students?
Our students have a variety of backgrounds. We have no "typical" Anake Outdoor School student. However, most of our students have taken either Wilderness Awareness School courses or other outdoor/ wilderness classes or have been referred from colleges and universities.
Many students have read the book, The Tracker by Tom Brown, Jr. and
consider it an important catalyst for being a Wilderness Awareness Residential
student. Some of our students are recent high school graduates. Others
are participating in the course to complete their college degrees. Still
others are college graduates who have been working, but now are changing
their focus and the Anake Outdoor School is part of their graduate school
experience. We also have "non-traditional" students who have joined
the Anake Outdoor School several years or even decades after they graduated
high school or college. Other students come from a wildlife biology
background. All students have one thing in common though - an above
average passion for connecting with nature and the outdoors.
Is there an academic component to the Anake Outdoor School?
Yes. We keep academic transcripts for all students. The Anake Outdoor School transcript is made up of three components: Learning Contracts, Self-Evaluations, and Student Evaluations. Each trimester, Learning Contracts are set up with each student that includes a course description as well as individual learning goals and activities. At the end of each trimester, Learning Contracts are reviewed, the student writes a Self-Evaluation, and the instructors write a Student Evaluation.
Also, all students work on The
Kamana Naturalist Training Program outside of class. It is a rigorous
academic course in and of itself, involving a significant amount of
research, fieldwork, and a variety of journal activities.
What opportunities are there for those who complete the first year?
Students who complete the Anake Outdoor School have the option, and are
highly encouraged, to continue into a second year of study in our Anake
Leadership Program or the Wildlife
Tracking Intensive. These courses provide the opportunity for students
to round out their Wilderness Awareness studies with professional experience
and focused learning.
Why is there an Anake Outdoor School?
The Anake Outdoor School came about to fulfill a longtime vision, held
by the founders of Wilderness Awareness School, to provide an opportunity
for participants to become highly skilled in all aspects of our curriculum
while also guiding them to become natural teachers and leaders. The Anake
Outdoor School serves this vision by providing an intensive training course
of full-time, full-immersion studies for adult students.
Where is the course located?
The Anake Outdoor School is located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains
by the Snoqualmie River at Wilderness Awareness School's home base in
Duvall, Washington. The
school's property is called Linne Doran (Gaelic for "Pond of the Otter")
and our land consists of over 40 acres of mature and second growth forest
as well as the land's namesake pond and wetlands. This campus is adjacent
to the vast forest lands of the Snoqualmie-Baker National Forest, west
of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area.
Classroom facilities at Linne Doran include "Cedar Lodge," our new classroom building and gathering
hall which houses the Ingwe Library and also has four apartments for Anake
Outdoor School students on the second floor; "The Wolf Den," our 30 foot
modern yurt; and "Malalo Ya Chui" (which means "Lair of the Leopard"),
a more rustic 20 foot structure modeled after an African Akamba hut, built
to honor School co-founder, Ingwe.
Day trip locations often include riparian sandbars along the Skykomish
and Snoqualmie Rivers, many great county parks, the high Cascades, and
the desert ecosystems of eastern Washington. The Program also takes
several extended field trips throughout the Northwest each year.
Where do Anake Outdoor School students live?
There are some limited on-campus housing options, with many of our students
locating their own housing in the Duvall area with support from staff.
Most students opt for shared housing in rural country homes, though apartments,
cabins, and yurts are often available in the area as well. Most of our
students live in shared houses or apartments in the Snoqualmie River valley,
which includes the towns of Duvall, Carnation, Monroe, Fall City, and
Snoqualmie. The shared housing saves the students money on rent and adds
an additional aspect of community to the course.
How will my personal learning goals be met?
Anake Outdoor School instructors meet with all students one-on-one at
least twice per quarter to set up and facilitate Learning Contracts. Learning
Contracts include an academic description of our coursework as a class,
as well as outline your personal goals and studies. These contracts serve
two important functions; 1) to be an integral part of your transcript,
and, 2) to help us help you develop, pursue, and evaluate your own individual
learning goals.
How long has the Anake Outdoor School been in existence?
The first official year of the Anake Outdoor School was the 1999-2000
school year, though the Program builds on a legacy of advanced students
receiving college credit while studying with Wilderness Awareness School
instructors.
How much does the course cost?
Tuition for the Anake Outdoor School 2009-2010 school year is $10,350. This cost includes all instruction, workshops, field trips, and independent study materials for the school year. Tuition does not include living expenses.
(NOTE: We have worked hard to keep tuition at an affordable level for our students. Despite rising costs to provide education, and at a time when most independent schools and colleges are seeing significant annual tuition increases, the modest increase for the 2009-2010 school year is the first time we have raised the Anake Outdoor School tuition cost in over 5 years).
Upon acceptance into the course, a $2,000 payment is required to secure your enrollment (which includes a $1,750 deposit which is credited towards your tuition as your first installment, and a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee which is not applied towards your tuition). The remainder of the tuition is payable in two equal installments (the remainder of the tuition, minus any scholarship, divided by two). See payment due dates.
What types of Financial Aid are available for the Program?
In addition to private loans or other funding students are independently able to secure, two forms of official financial aid are currently available for the Anake Outdoor School:
1) Scholarships We offer our own scholarships for the Anake Outdoor School, which range from $1000 to $3000. Scholarship awards are applied equally to the August and January tuition payments. NOTE: The scholarship application form must be submitted at the same time as the regular course application. Use the on-line scholarship application, or download and complete a Scholarship Application in PDF format, and mail it in.
2)
Veterans Benefits Tuition assistance is available to U.S. Veterans
through the Department
of Veterans Affairs benefits and services.
Anake Outdoor School Application timeline and payment due dates:
Standard Application and Enrollment Period for the 2010-2011 Class
Nov. 1, 2009: Application period
opens
Feb. 1, 2010: Course and Scholarship Applications due
Mar. 1st: Acceptance and Scholarship Award
letters mailed
Apr. 1st: $2000 payment due to secure
enrollment and scholarship award, includes a $100 non-refundable enrollment
fee.
Sept. 15th: First payment due (remainder
of tuition, minus any scholarship, divided by two).
January 15, 2011: Final payment due (the
remaining balance).
NOTES: More details will be included in the letter you will receive when you apply. If you apply after Feb. 1, 2010, you can expect to hear from us with a decision on acceptance and scholarship awards within 4-6 weeks of the date of your application. Your deposit and enrollment fee will be due within one month after you receive notice of acceptance.
Rolling Admissions Application Period:
All applications received after February 1, 2010 will be considered
on a Rolling Admissions basis. Immediate acceptance into the program
is possible until we have a total of 36 students accepted. Once we have
36 acceptances, applications will be responded to in the order received.
(Applications may be reviewed more quickly than this, but will be placed
on hold for response).
A $2000 payment is due to secure enrollment and scholarship award (which
includes a $100 non-refundable enrollment fee) within one week of acceptance.
Can I receive college credit?
Yes. Undergraduate college credit through Western State College is available
for the Anake Outdoor School. It is 18 credits (6 in Environmental Studies,
6 in Biology and 6 in Recreation) and these credits are transferable.
There is more information on Western
State College's website. If you have additional questions about college
credit, please complete our request
form.
Also, if you are currently enrolled at a college or university you may
be able to work out a way to receive credit for our course through your
own college or university. Several of our students have had success in
doing so. Talking to an academic advisor at your school is a good way
to start researching this option.
Past students have reported that the following schools have granted some
form of credit for their Anake Outdoor School experience. Students need
to make their own arrangements.
Cornell University
Prescott College
Antioch University Seattle
The Evergreen State College
Humboldt State University
Mankato State University
Do I have to be working towards a degree or enrolled in a college/ university to be part of the Anake Outdoor School?
No. Many students are here just for the unique training that we have to
offer and are not concerned with receiving college credit. Some students
are finished with college and are augmenting their education with our
course, while other students are attending the Anake Outdoor School instead
of a traditional college/university.
Should I have taken courses with Wilderness Awareness School or other schools to be a part of the Program?
There are no prerequisites for the Anake Outdoor School. You will not have to take any additional classes or workshops other than those covered in your tuition costs.
However, in addition to encouraging prospective Anake Outdoor School students to visit the Program if possible (see below), we also encourage you to attend one of our weekend or weeklong workshops or expeditions if you are interested in doing so. This can give you a better idea of what Wilderness Awareness School and our teachings are like, and help decide if the Anake Outdoor School is right for you. We offer tuition credit for this weekend or weeklong course if you enroll in the Anake Outdoor School within the next 2 years. Please use our request form for more information about this tuition reimbursement option. (*NOTE: tuition credit is only available to prospective students who have not yet officially enrolled in the course. We often offer additional tuition assistance for our courses to enrolled Anake Outdoor School students.)
Will I be able to work and do the Program at the same time? Is there work available in the area?
Yes. The Anake Outdoor School usually meets during three consecutive class
days per week, and this schedule is designed to allow students to be able
to work at least part-time. Many of our students do work. Their range
of jobs includes working at other schools and child care, outdoor labor,
employment at rock-climbing gyms or other outdoor recreation organizations,
working with moving companies, working at coffee stands and restaurants,
delivering pizzas, etc. You should have no problem finding a part-time
job to help support your studies.
May I come and observe the Anake Outdoor School?
Yes--we welcome and encourage all interested students to observe our course in person. If you visit the course you can observe class for the day, meet instructors and other members of the Wilderness Awareness School staff, and join us in any community events planned at that time. Even if class is not in session when you visit, we can arrange a tour of our campus and a chance to meet with staff and perhaps students and/or graduates living in the area. Please contact us if you wish to visit the Anake Outdoor School. We do require that visitors make an appointment before visiting.
