New PLT Faciliators

Our newest 17 PLT facilitators-trained in Steamboat Springs in early April- are fun, energetic and dedicated, but this doesn't set them apart from our other 61 faciliators! What is unique about them is the diversity of backgrounds they bring to our greater group! For one thing, there were 8 current or former CSFS foresters in attendance! They work in our Steamboat Springs district, in Routt, Jackson and Grand Counties, and in Ft. Collins!

Others came from across the state, from Alamosa to Walden,  Red Feathers Lakes and Bailey,  and will do workshops at the State Forest State Park in the North, and Trinchera Ranch in the South, Red Feathers Lake and Bailey in the West, and all parts in between! Yampatika was our host, and 3/5 of their staff of naturalists are now PLT facilitators!

Bringing formal PreK-12th grade expertise are an elementary school principal, a former independent school founder and director, two secondary teachers and a preschool trainer and leader! One is a Canadian, and one from Chile. One narrowly missed meeting Shawna when she trained two Peace Corps groups in Zambia in 2003!

 We are grateful to them for the contributions they will make in strengthening our PLT program at all grade levels and in diverse corners of the state. We enjoyed the snow (at least those of us who haven't seen much of it this year), the food, the activities and each other, and look forward to all the great workshops across the state that will result from this training...   

...and the one that occured in another corner of Colorado last December! Durango Nature Center was the host that time, and 8 naturalists from DNC, and the directors of a youth corps and a Girl Scout camp rounded out this group. One highlight was the wildlife that joined our second day of the training! 

Coming up next month is yet another faciliator training!  (Whew-this will make four for PLT in one year! This is a record. ) We look forward to adding to our small but incredibly dedicated group of facilitators who use PLT and Project WILD to demonstrate how to "shelter" English for teachers of English Language Learners.  Ten years ago, Rafael Salgado and Nancy Commins, both internationally respected experts in their professions, developed this special workshop and have conducted  two filled-to capacitiy, 2 day-overnight workshops almost every year.  6-8 educators, working in teams of Spanish and non-Spanish speakers, will be trained or re-trained to include the "sheltering" instruction to PLT/WILD workshops.

Welcome all!  We are grateful for your commitment to kids, teachers, and all natural things in your places and everywhere.  Thank you for bringing PLT to your communities.