Into Outside is excited to present Brain Power, a short film by Let It Ripple by Tiffany Shlain, who makes a great case for why youth – and everyone – need to take time to shut down and connect with nature.

Into Outside connects youth like you to the outdoors through digital media and technology. Through sharing stories, videos and important survival information, get inspired and empowered to get off the grid.

Let’s face it! We are wired. Our brains our being affected, and our youth need wilderness and outdoor experiences.

Into Outside connects youth to the outdoors through partner programs, inspiration, and information.  Into Outside focus is on Central California YLP and ARC students and programs, featuring videos and stories by youth about their wilderness experiences.

WHY?

We need to be outside. This is our right as human beings. And we are animals too! Believe it or not, we are a part of nature. And our brains took hundreds of thousands of years to evolve to understand this. Only in the past few decades, have people been using computers…and the pace of everything has been speeding up – faster, faster and faster!! Sometimes, for our own sanity, we need to unplug and slow down.

Being in nature helps us connect to who we really are. It is healing to listen to the wind, and to watch the sunset. It is empowering to climb a mountain, and it is simply mind blowing to see nature in it’s pristine beauty. Lots of kids who haven’t had a lot of experiences outside are amazed at how beautiful it is in nature – and how good they feel. Simply getting away from the noise of the city can quiet the mind and energize the soul.

Getting into the outside is critical. Using wilderness to empower and motivate you to go to college and transition into community leaders is critical for the survival of our parks as well because we need your help to keep everything pristine…fresh and clear of buildings, traffic and smog.

Connecting youth is identified as one of the most important issues of our times. So let it ripple – get into outside!

Brain Power is a post from: Into Outside

Music Video

Runnin’ In the Woods, a music video, shows the story of amazing 15 year-old ARC Program students who have faced their fears, climbed mountains, scaled rocks, communed with nature and discovered that within themselves IS everything they need and more!

GET INSPIRED! GET INTO OUTSIDE!

And, oh yeah, see below for links and credits!

RUNNIN’ IN THE WOODS music video was created by Amy Seidman, scientific visualization artist fellow at the Sierra Nevada Research Institute in Yosemite, about the nonprofit outdoor education program Adventure Risk Challenge, a program of UC Berkeley & UC Merced at the Yosemite Field Station.

RUNNIN’ IN THE WOODS
is a song by
INSTRUMENTS OF THE FOREST
Written by AmesEla
Rhythms by Evan Fraser
Courtesy of
Creative Entity Music, BMI
© 2012

TO LEARN MORE VISIT THESE LINKS:
ARC http://arcprogram.com
Into Outside http://IntoOutside.org
Amy Seidman http://AmySeidman.com
Sierra Nevada Research Institute http://snri.ucmerced.edu/
Yosemite National Park http://nps.gov/yose
Incredible Places http://incredibleplaces.org • http://YouTube.com/IncrediblePlaces
Instruments of the Forest http://instrumentsoftheforest.com
AmesEla http://AmesEla.com • http://www.YouTube.com/AmesEla
Evan Fraser http://www.reverbnation.com/evanfraser
Creative Entity http://creativeentity.org • http://creative-entity.com

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE MIGHTY MARMOTS
ARC STUDENTS 2011
Ana Hernandez
Benjamin Meza
Boa Huynh
Brenda Cardoza
Charly Mijares
Huy Dao
Jiajia Yu
Marcela Avina
Oscar Avina
Xiong Vue
Yessenia Holguin

THE UNSTOPPABLES
ARC STUDENTS 2012
in order of appearance
Jesus Alejandre
Cristian Mendoza
Diego Pompa
Ana Aguilar
Quad Andrews

UNSTOPPABLE DANCE MOVES
Climb The Rock
Throw the Rope
Belay Down the Rock
Paddle the Canoe
Use the Towel

ARC PROGRAM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jennifer Guereki

YOSEMITE
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Sarah Cupery Ottley
Colin Carpenter

WILDERNESS  INSTRUCTORS

Graham Ottle
Katie Burns
Kelli Stansel
Rob Ogren
Willis Weatherford

SPECIAL THANKS!

Made possible in part by UC Merced & Creative Entity
Special thanks to Yosemite National Park
Into Outside is a project of Creative Entity Org/Inquiring Systems Inc.

Runnin’ In the Woods is a post from: Into Outside

Digital Magazine

Now on Glossi, the photography of Adventure Risk Challenge youth in action by Amy Seidman during her scientific visualization artist fellowship are now on available in a special edition online magazine by Incredible Places. The photos are being published in this special edition magazine, preceding a series of on demand photobooks by the photographer from her fellowship in Yosemite. Enjoy this sneak preview!

Adventure Risk Challenge Youth Rock Climbing is a post from: Into Outside

Education Intern

Video by Tabatha Brogden

Video | Tabatha Brogden | Education Intern is a post from: Into Outside

YLP Intern

My name is Benjamin Polgar. I am currently attending UC Merced as a junior majoring in Human Biology. Last summer I was given the opportunity to take part in the Yosemite Leadership Program. My position was in Preventative Search and Rescue.  The summer I spent in Yosemite was unforgettable.  For the first two weeks I was trained to be a search and rescue technician.  I drove an ambulance, took a technical ropes course for rescuing climbers, and practiced hands on rescue techniques such as tying patients into litters, and horsing out injured visitors.  A day on the job usually consists of: hiking/patrolling the trails near little Yosemite Valley (about 3 to 4 miles up the trail from the valley floor) and talking to people making sure they have enough food, water, and the proper hiking shoes for their travels.  Another part of my job was to check the half dome permits at the base of the subdome. I would spend 3 to 4 days a week up in little Yosemite Valley doing PSAR work.  It was an honor to be working with the expert Yosemite search and rescue team.

This internship was—by far—one of the best investments of my life.  I gained so much confidence in myself.  I feel wiser, more mature, responsible and independent.  Environmental leadership class was spectacular.  Every class session reminded me of how powerful a person I am; and how I am truly capable of making a difference in this world.  This internship experience has set me up for success, as I now believe I can take on any challenge.

Some of my favorite things about this internship are: the close bonds with the other interns that are formed as everyone experiences this eye opening summer together, the accommodations from UC Merced such as the housing, the positive support, the delicious barbeques, and so much more.  I will never forget my summer spent in Yosemite, I would recommend the Yosemite Leadership Program for anyone and everyone!

Intern Video

Internship Description

The Yosemite Valley District Protection Rangers request one UC Merced Intern to assist Rangers with day to day operations in Little Yosemite Valley from approximately June to September. Little Yosemite Valley (LYV) contains the trail network leading to Half Dome. While there are no roads in this wilderness area it is one of the busiest trail systems in Yosemite and the National Park System. Due to the volume of
hikers in this area there is often a need for extra persons to patrol the trails and assist visitors.

Benjamin Polgar, PSAR is a post from: Into Outside

Changing Cloud
by Yessenia Holguin

I’m a cloud that moves gently and slowly
Hurtful arguments I hate
Peaceful words I love

Problems with my family transform me
From a fluffy white cloud
Sweet, pretty and loving
To a thunder storm
Dark, nasty and crying

Getting hurt over and over
Hot summer days in the afternoon
My brother’s voice on the phone
Words destroy me like harsh winds
And leave me depressed, lost in a dark fog
Saving feelings inside, not letting them out
Then throwing hail and lightning bolts,
Not caring what people think

Being kind to all races
Without prejudice
Loving all religions
Just like a cloud that provides shade without discrimination

I’m a cloud that is looked up to
For her intelligence and ambition
Wanting to get a degree in criminal justice
Family, friends and people admire me for
My bravery, strength and courage

A degree is what I want to achieve
I’m the cloud that needs help with her dreams
People see what they want to see in the forms
I make and shapes I take
My shape is one of success

Attaining a life of beauty with happiness
A secure future is my dream
With a job that challenges me to brighten the sky

Drifting to the tallest peak
Refusing to evaporate even if it’s stormy
Enjoying new adventures even if they are hard
I am a cloud who brightens the sky

Poem | Changing Cloud is a post from: Into Outside

DNC Interpretation

Video by Veronica Hernandez

Video | Veronica Hernandez | DNC Interpretation is a post from: Into Outside

I Am An Ant
By Brenda Cardoza

Ants are small and tough,
Intelligent and hardworking just like me.
No matter the challenge,
I know I will persevere.

I have struggled in the past,
Taking care of my little brother, changing him, feeding him,
With no one to help me.
Moving from Firebaugh to Oroloma and to Dos Palos High School was also difficult.
From the excitement of the city,
I was bored in the country and facing racism at school.
I felt trapped and lonely,
But I have persevered.

Whether it’s physically or mentally,
Nothing can prohibit me.
Always working hard, as an ant does,
Overcoming obstacles everyday, pushing myself to do my best.
My bother thinks he is the king ant, while I feel like a slave ant,
Cleaning the house with no one to help me.

Always dreaming of succeeding at school so I can thrive,
Become a doctor, and have a great future;
If I accomplish this I would like travel the world.
I am always dreaming of traveling to remarkable places,
Especially to France, Italy, and China that have their own special features.
I dream of smelling the garlic bread in Italy,
Seeing the Eiffel tower in France,
Eating Chinese food in China.
I know I can accomplish this dream!
Just as an ant is hardworking at overcoming obstacles,
I will also persevere!

I can accomplish this dream if I keep studying hard
Believing in myself and trusting others
I have the ability to pass the test
Like I have climbed up the challenging rock wall
I am an adventurous ant who can accomplish anything.

Poem | I am an Ant is a post from: Into Outside

YLP Intern

My name is Jamie Husain. I am a 21 year old student at UC Merced. Right now I am sitting on a bunk bed in Quito, Ecuador.  I am resting from backpacking and rock school at high altitude. Without the YLP internship I would not be here in Ecuador mountaineering and going on adventures.  In the next paragraph I hope to quickly summarize what I did this summer through the YLP internship.

I applied for the Search and Rescue internship and was assigned the Wilderness internship under the supervision of Jay Sammer. When I am asked to describe what I did I feel reserved because future applicants might get excited about one job but be assigned another. From the previous interns I have spoken with, not being assigned their first choice job actually benefited them. We arrived in Wawona, and lived in two big cabins together as a tight community. Wawona has swimming holes, the air smells amazing and the entire experience felt like a dream come true. We had leadership class outside of the Sierra Nevada research Institute with delicious snacks and sunshine.

A typical week would consist of waking up, putting on my uniform and walking down the hill to the wilderness center with another intern. We would enter the wilderness center, turn on the lights, start the computer for the wilderness permit system, stack a few bear canisters and write information on a whiteboard to do with road closures, camp site availability and the weather.  For most of the day, visitors would arrive and want to know what to do in the park, where to stay or need a wilderness permit. Learning how to open the wilderness center and issue permits made me feel empowered and fulfilled.

Every week or two I would go on patrol with an experienced ranger. We would clear the trail of trees, reduce or remove fire rings, communicate with dispatch by radio and enjoy the beautiful national park.

I was introduced to climbing through the internship, learned how to use a park wide radio, figured out how to eat well in the wilderness and had serious fun. There are a thousand things I could list to do with social change, or hammock camping or chasing away bears or figuring out things to do with Yosemite/backpacking/climbing/leadership/swimming holes/solitude/community but really you have to experience it for yourself.

Intern Video

I really enjoyed cooking and laughing with the interns who I now hang out with regularly at UC Merced.

Internship Description

As a Wilderness Ranger working in both the front and backcountry you will encounter a wide variety of situations which require you to use your best judgment and work as a team in the center or with your partner in the field. From this array of encounters you will learn or hone your customer service skills, visitor and resource management knowledge, Wilderness skills and values, and communication skills. Past employees have remarked on how much more confident they feel and that they have more faith in their skills to handle dynamic situations.

Jamie Husain, Wilderness is a post from: Into Outside

Bighorn Sheep
By Xiong Vue

I’m am a very curious Bighorn sheep
And like to experience new things,
Bighorn sheep wanders the hot,
Dry, wet, rocky, and steep hills,
Surviving in the wilderness
Can be very hard.
My parents have worked hard,
Traveling thousands of miles
To give me and my brother shelter and food
I’m always there to help them
A Bighorn sheep is what I am

When my parents are out,
I had to look out for my little brother,
The sky is dangerous and very harmful
Don’t really know when it’s
Going to be raining, cloudy, sunny, or thundering
A Bighorn Sheep is what I am

Some Bighorn sheep are very protective,
Protecting themselves from predators,
And protecting everyone in the Herd
As a Bighorn sheep I choose very wisely,
To work in the fields and save money to help
Out in the family

Bighorns are powerful
At running up steep hills,
I never give up and
I help them never give up also,
The herd is always there for me,
Encouraging me to reach higher,
To go beyond their expectations,
A Bighorn sheep is what I am

I’m intelligent and like to work hard,
Able to do things that I never have done before,
My dad encourage me to hunt for food
When I don’t even know that if I can do it
With their hard work they have done
Choosing a safe area for the Herd to eat,
And not be eaten; also just keep moving forward,
A Bighorn sheep is what I am

To help the Herd patiently
And keep them together,
The pressure that I feel is
To do good in school,
And finish the chores at home
My lungs don’t stop me
From going to a higher altitude.
That I have strength to protect me,
But also my family is very important for me.
I have to keep them alive
Away from all the trouble.

My herd is from different mountains
And here the culture is different
Tigers or lions bullying and name-calling
I keep going and keep climbing
A better future is to start college in California
Find a good job
Support the family
Take the herd to the highest altitude
Have fresh air and a good view
I am positive, brave and very strong
A Bighorn sheep is what I am

Poem | Bighorn Sheep is a post from: Into Outside