Who are the leaders?
What are the ages of the leaders?
Does your staff complete any special training with Moondance before the programs?
Does each trip have one male and one female leader?
Will I hear from my leaders before my trip?
How many leaders return for another summer?
Does Moondance use any other guiding services?
Who are the leaders?
Without question, the leaders make the difference in the success of Moondance, so we take great care in selecting the people we feel will make outstanding instructors, role models and friends. The ability to work and relate to teenagers is a critical element in the success of any leader. They must understand that the safety and well being of each individual is of the utmost importance, but we also want to make sure they have strong wilderness skills and are fun! Our leaders are bright, energetic, conscientious adults with a healthy sense of humor who love sharing their enthusiasm for the outdoors. They are united in their passion to create the best student experience possible. Most are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) or Outward Bound. Meet our Leaders.
What are the ages of the leaders?
All leaders are a minimum of 21 years old, with the average age being 26. All are college graduates or on their way to earning their college degree. Many are graduate students, teachers or in the outdoor industry.
Does your staff complete any special training with Moondance before the programs?
Absolutely! It is mandatory that each staff member holds his/her Wilderness First Responder certification. WFR is an 8 day course teaching emergency medical protocols in a wilderness setting. Even though the majority of our staff are graduates of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and/ or Outward Bound, Moondance requires all staff members to complete additional staff training at the beginning of each summer. During this intensive 9-day staff training we cover all policies, procedures and protocol for every Moondance program. Safety practices are discussed and reviewed. We also find this to be a great time for a variety of outdoor educators to share teaching styles and practices that they have found helpful. Each instructor renews his/her commitment to Moondance's philosophy and rededicates himself/herself to serving Moondance's students. Every Moondance leader is committed to the idea that to lead, we must serve. In addition, when we are involved in more technical activities such as rock climbing, mountaineering or whitewater rafting, we subcontract with professional guides and outfitters to give us the best instruction possible.
Does each trip have one male and one female leader?
You bet. Each course has at least two leaders, one male and one female. To ensure that Moondance can maintain its "safety first" philosophy, the student to staff ratio never exceeds 6:1.
Will I hear from my leaders before my trip?
You will. Each team of leaders will contact you and your family prior to the start of your trip. They'll double check your flight arrival times and answer any last minute questions.
How many leaders return for another summer?
We continue to see an escalating number of our staff return each summer. We generally have 65% of our staff returning each year. With a large amount of veteran leaders, the staff is enabled to create strong bonds amongst each other and help new staff members understand the powerful opportunity they have to make a difference in a young person's life.
Does Moondance use any other guiding services?
To ensure the best possible instruction in all of our technical activities, Moondance contracts out with world-renowned guiding services for our mountaineering, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting sections.
Back to General Questions |
