Brennan Eberle
Cary, North Carolina
University of North Carolina, 2010

Brennan Eberle hiking in the Alaskan wilderness

I am sincerely grateful to NSHSS for awarding the NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) scholarship to me, which allowed me me to enroll as a student in the Alaska backpacking and sea kayaking course during the summer of 2006. I just got back from Alaska recently, and can honestly say it was the most rewarding experience I have ever had! While on course, I learned so many things--about myself, about the technical aspects of an expedition, and about leadership in general. I have a hard time putting into words the nature of the course; it was one of the most difficult emotional and physical tasks I have ever undertaken (being wet for two weeks at a time sure can take its toll on your psyche), yet these hardships ultimately made the experience all the more valuable. At the same time, there were moments when everything just seemed to come together . . . I distinctly remember one of those times, as my small group was just completing our final independent hike at the end of the backpacking section. We experienced some navigational difficulty in unexpectedly thick brush and were forced to hike very late into the night (or should I say early into the morning?). When we finally made it to camp, our sense of accomplishment was at a peak and the sun was simultaneously setting over a beautifully outlined Denali . . . it was one of the first sunsets I was able to witness (most of the course took place during the days of the summer solstice). It seemed the perfect conclusion to the first two weeks of backpacking. Moments like this one are sure to stick with me forever. I find myself counting down the days until I can either take another NOLS course or undertake a personal trip of a similar nature (which, thanks to NOLS, I feel I can confidently plan and follow through with). As a youth leadership program, NOLS is the real deal. I gained so much confidence in my own leadership ability, while at the same time learning how to act as an active follower in the appropriate context of a group effort. Being in the wilderness truly teaches you things about life that cannot easily be put into words. Once again, I offer my genuine gratitude for your support--I would not trade my NOLS experience for anything!

Editor's note: For more information on NOLS and its programs, as well as financial aid for NSHSS members, please visit our partner pages www.nshss.org/partners and the NOLS website:
http://www.nols.edu/