Taylor Challenge is a multi-day outdoor recreation and team-building program that serves every 8th grader at Gunnison Middle School. This annual event is a three-day overnight field trip that occurs during the first week of school every year.
Utilizing the outdoors as a unifying theme, the goal of the Taylor Challenge program is to build and promote community, trust, confidence and healthy life choices within the entire grade class (90-120 students). Over three days, the students navigate several activity stations.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife assists with the archery (NASP) and leads the fly fishing stations, with the help of staff and volunteers. This volunteer role assists with the fly fishing station in small group settings to cover just the basics. The station breaks students into two groups: one to cover macroinvertebrates (a discussion and searching/examining using nets), followed by clinch knot tying and different types of flies to tie on. Meanwhile the second group covers trout identification and casting. Then, both groups come together to fish at two small ponds (stocked with large rainbows and browns).
Travel time to site (if applicable). Commit to 1-3 days of helping with archery or fly fishing stations (2 stations per day, 4 hours each). This annual event occurs during the first week of school every year.
The opportunity to teach 'the next generation' of young recreationist outdoor skills while enjoying a rewarding and reinforcing experience with CPW staff in a beautiful outdoor setting
Apply online to become a volunteer.
Questions? Contact Catherine Dolder
(970) 880-0627