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From Participants to Leaders: Armstrong Scholars Find Strength and Community in Nature

In July of 2024, Mia Perez, a current graduate in the Outdoor Recreation Economy Program at the University of Colorado Boulder and an Environmental Science Operations Manager at NatureBridge, led thirteen women and femme-identifying people into the backcountry of Yosemite. This trip was part of the 24th annual Armstrong Scholars Adventure led by NatureBridge leaders Perez and Felicity Holmes in honor of Joie Armstrong – a young Yosemite-based naturalist who was the victim of murder in the Valley in 1999. 

The group of thirteen participants stand with their backpacks on and back to the camera as they raise their trekking poles in excitement over a successful trip. They are positioned along the shore of a beautiful lake in the Sierra Nevada.

During the trip, scholars traversed tens of miles and climbed thousands of feet over the course of a week, with the group carrying all of the gear that they would need for the trip on their backs in packs provided by the organization. Though it may be easy to focus on the physical accomplishments of the group over the week, Perez noted that ultimately, themes of simplicity and enjoyment of nature were amongst the biggest takeaways for the scholars.   

“I think our high school youth, especially women, are under a lot of pressure to perform academically to secure their future. When reading through their applications, a lot of the Armstrong Scholars were just excited about the opportunity to decompress and enjoy nature,” said Perez. 

Throughout the trip, Perez and Holmes noted how powerful women and community are. The scholars chose to do something challenging and new to them, and by way of their courage, they inspired their guides too. As the trip progressed, Perez witnessed the transformed attendees grow from participants to leaders, opting to work through problems and plans with Perez and Holmes acting as “flies on the wall” by the second to last day of their adventure. Their ability to work through challenges together was a testament to the bonds they had built and their growth both as individuals and as a team throughout the trip.  

A clear blue sky gives way to sharp granite peaks overlooking a wide river that rushes through the Valley. This is a personal photo provided by trip leader Mia Perez, which highlights the beauty of the Yosemite and greater Sierra Nevada wilderness.

Upon reflection, Perez shared her thoughts on the connection between time spent in the outdoors and positive health outcomes, problem-solving skills and stewardship from youth populations. From experiencing climate anxiety, academic and extracurricular burnout and a global pandemic, Perez noted that young people need the outdoors more now than ever before. Not only has she noticed the positive grounding effects that it can have, but she also noted how it encourages young people to be problem solvers and lifelong stewards of outdoor spaces.  

Having attended her first backpacking trip in Yosemite with NatureBridge as a high schooler, Perez attributes much of her career as a leader in the outdoor industry to her experience – it is also what inspired her to apply to be a leader for the Armstrong Scholars Adventure. 

“This experience has allowed me to reflect on how important it is to give back and pay it forward. I have come full circle and am so grateful for the opportunity I have been afforded,” said Perez. 

To learn more about the Armstrong Scholarship or to read Perez’s full 2024 trip report, visit www.naturebridge.org.Thank you to Mia Perez and NatureBridge for their work with future generations and women in the outdoors.