High Mountain Institute Presents Dec. 3 at 8 pm @ OCC (Weston Hall)

The Rocky Mountain Semester Apprentice Program is a professional residency in traditional and outdoor education for college graduates. Apprentices will be immersed in an intense, semester-long seminar that combines formal lessons in educational techniques and philosophies of outdoor education, with a hands-on apprenticeship. Apprentices will participate, as both students and teachers, in the wilderness, academic, and residential components. 

Specifically, apprentices will participate, as both students and teachers, in the wilderness, academic, and residential components of the RMS. Graduates of this program will be well prepared for employment in: outdoor or experiential education, boarding and traditional high schools, adventure recreation, and residential programs. Graduates will also be in an excellent position to pursue an advanced degree in education. The apprentice program has a partnership with Prescott College, allowing us to offer graduate credit to apprentices.

The HMI Apprentice Program offers:

- Apprentice Wilderness Expedition Training: a two-week wilderness training course in the Sawatch Range of Colorado or the canyons of southeastern Utah.

- Apprentice Seminar: Theory and Practice in Experiential Education: a seminar on educational techniques and philosophies.

- Mentorship with an RMS faculty member in a specific subject area: American Literature, U.S. History, Natural Science, Spanish, French, Mathematics or Wilderness.

- Telemark skiing instruction and avalanche awareness.

- Instruct three two-week wilderness expeditions for the RMS.

- Firsthand experience in a residential education environment.

- Option to receive graduate credit.

Components of the Apprenticeship:

WILDERNESS: Apprentices will participate in a two-week wilderness training expedition and help facilitate the three RMS wilderness expeditions. These expeditions consist of backpacking, canyoneering, and backcountry skiing, as well as formal academic and wilderness classes. The wilderness curriculum includes, among other skills, leadership and communication development, basic camping, navigation, judgment, and decision-making.

ACADEMIC: Apprentices will work closely with their academic mentors, honing their teaching style and skills, and enriching their knowledge of the subject matters. In order to gain exposure to a wider range of techniques and curricula, they will observe other academic classes every two weeks. They will also participate in a weekly class entitled Apprentice Seminar: Theory and Practice in Experiential Education. The curriculum will include, among other topics, leadership and communication skills commonly used in a classroom setting, teaching techniques, and risk management theories and practices.

RESIDENTIAL LIFE: Outside of the classroom, apprentices will play an active role in the residential life of the RMS by cooking meals with the students, helping with daily chores, facilitating daily activities, and acting as a Cabin Head for one student cabin.