The Immersion at Wilderness Awareness School
Vitals
- GYA Accredited Since: Unaccredited by the GYA. Please see the Standards for more information.
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Enrolling:
Yes - Mission Statement:
Wilderness Awareness School, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1983, is an internationally-recognized leader in outdoor education. Our mission is to help children and adults cultivate healthy relationships with nature, community, and self. We are based in the foothills of the Cascade mountains about 45-minutes outside of Seattle, WA.
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Level of Independence/Supervision (mouse-over for definition):
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Attachments
Program Locations
Typical Itinerary
The Immersion begins in early September and ends in late May/early June. The program is divided into two registration sessions - Fall session and Winter/Spring session. The class averages 34 students, with a maximum class size of 38, and an average student/teacher ratio of 12:1.
The normal weekly routine generally involves classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. There will also be a few Friday class days throughout the year. Most days are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with any exceptions noted on seasonal schedules distributed in class. Office hours are 8am to 4pm weekdays.
Extended Day Trips and Overnight Field Trips
Throughout the year, the class embarks on several different outings and overnights:
Day Trips: Often, the program takes day outings to local destinations around the Puget Sound region. On these days, class may leave earlier than 9am and may return later than 3pm. The program may be able to make accommodations for students with specific schedule needs.
Overnights: Throughout the year, there are several overnights that range from 3 to 8 nights long. Sometimes these will be at our campus, other times these will be at a different location. Students will be responsible for providing their own food - depending on the trip, there may be opportunities to buy food or eat out. Food may be provided depending on the trip.
The Immersion Calendar Overview
*Specific schedules will be given before the start of each session.
- Immersion Orientation Day Early September
- Immersion Opening Week Early September
- Normal Class Weeks begin Mid-September
- Thanksgiving Break Late November
- Final Day of Fall session Mid-December
- Winter Break Mid-December to Early January
- Winter Session Starts Early January
- Final Day of Winter Session Mid-March
- Spring Break Mid-Late March
- Spring Session Starts Late March
- Last Day of Class Late May
- Graduation Ceremony Late May/Early June
Program Outcomes
- The Skill of the Naturalist: Knowing your place.
- Land Stewardship
- The Art and Science of Tracking
- Working with Plants
- Mentoring and Community Leadership
- Wilderness Survival and Bushcraft
- Nature Observation: Bird Language and Awareness
- Self-Discovery and Communication
- Cultural Studies
Opportunities for college credit for attending The Immersion:
Wilderness Awareness School currently works in partnership with Western Colorado University, through whom students may earn 18 credits applying to an undergraduate degree for their studies with us. To receive Western Credit, students must achieve the Certificate of Completion as well as the Naturalist Certification. Students must pay the per-credit fee that Western charges in addition to tuition paid to Wilderness Awareness School. See the website for current per-credit costs. Students must first enroll with us, then register through the Extended Studies Department at Western and make payment arrangements with them for the credits.
Program Details
- Program Starts: Fall
- Program Duration: Yearlong
- Typical Program Cost: $14,950
- Program Financial Aid: Yes
- Other Financial Aid Details:
Wilderness Awareness School offers students up to $3,000 in financial aid for The Immersion program. Scholarships may be applied for during the application process.
In addition to the above scholarship, we also offer 2 BIPOC Fellowship Scholarships every year. The Immersion Fellowship is intended as a meaningful investment to support outstanding BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Immersion student candidates who possess the vision, determination, and potential to bring nature connection further into the world.
Staff Training and Certification
The Core Instructors of The Immersion facilitate the overall progression of the program, and serve as your primary mentors. They teach the core competencies of the program, and work with renowned adjunct and guest faculty to provide mastery-level instruction. They each bring their own areas of specialty and enthusiasm. A large part of the magic of The Immersion is the diverse and complementary interaction of these vital teachers.
The three core instructors of the program are:
Richie Rivera-Booth - Since coming to the school in 2007, after a lifetime of learning bushcraft skills, he has completed The Immersion, Nature Instructor Training, Tracking Intensive, and several other adult and youth programs.
Phoebe Reid - Phoebe attended the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) at age 16 and got her first Wilderness First Responder certification at age 17, which she’s held ever since. After highschool she went on to work as a backpacking guide for multiple organizations in Washington, Montana, and Alaska with humans of all ages. She graduated from the University of Washington with an honors degree in Environmental Studies. Landing at WAS, she graduated from The Immersion in 2021 and from the Adult Nature Instructor Training Program in 2022. Where she discovered her love of crafting, archery, plants, wildlife tracking, friction fire, and being covered in mud.
Andy Franjevic - Andy worked at a state park in Ohio for a couple of years as the Park Naturalist, where he was able to share his passion for nature with visitors and explore the park day and night. In 2004, Andy moved to Washington to attend The Immersion at Wilderness Awareness School. Since then he has completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Evergreen State College with a project of exploring history and researching his ancestors.
Additional instructors may join the instructional team as well.