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WILDLIFE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: ENGAGING AND EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATION LEADERS

    Mueller, Sara, Executive Director, Wildlife Leadership Academy, 7 East Water Street, Lock Haven, PA 17745, smueller@wildlifeleadershipacademy.org.

    The mission of the Wildlife Leadership Academy is to engage and empower high school age youth to become Conservation Ambassadors to ensure a sustained wildlife, fisheries and natural resource legacy for future generations. A year-round program, the Academy begins with residential programming that focuses on wildlife/fisheries biology, conservation, and recreation as well as leadership skills development. Graduates then continue with outreach projects through education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship in their home communities. The Academy has found a unique formula for success in providing youth conservation education to over 1,100 alumni across the state of Pennsylvania and in 14 other states. In addition, Academy programming is expanding and evolving to ensure that conservation education is accessible to diverse audiences by building belonging throughout all of its programs. Finally, the Academy has been fortunate enough to follow-up with 10% of our alumni to see what they are doing now (and where they are doing it!). Learn about how you can engage with the Wildlife Leadership Academy to support the next generation of conservation leaders.

    youth, conservation, education, partnerships