2020 TNP Recap!

Despite the circumstances, we made the very best of 2020. We delivered three events pre-covid to 150 BIPOC, refugee and low income teens, including with youth in the Juvenile Detention Center alongside K.J. Wright, and a snowboarding trip at Snoqualmie Pass with DeShawn Shead. Additionally, we put serious effort towards raising awareness and encouraging kids to get outside through two mediums that we know kids respond well to - social media, and sports! Our “Walk and Talk Campaign” - in which TNP athlete ambassadors posted videos discussing questions around life and vulnerability while walking outside - culminated with Cooper taking over Filson’s instagram alongside surprise guest & advisory board member Marshawn Lynch. Additionally, Seahawks’ TE Will Dissly launched Nature Pass, a program in which he donates an outdoor experience to youth via TNP for every reception on the field this season. Will & Cooper also joined Hidden Pearls to discuss TNP. Hidden Pearls is a podcast by 49er’s TE George Kittle that "shares the untold stories of the people & communities impacted by social and environmental injustice."

With an opportunity to reflect, we also took a serious look at our curriculum and impact models. We are thrilled to welcome Kaleb Germinaro to the TNP team, utilizing his expertise in curriculum development and program evaluation. Kaleb is a PhD student in Learning Sciences at UW specializing in healing-centered learning opportunities. He jumped right into the evolution of our model & curriculum to date, collected feedback from our youth and our athletes; immediately determining we should make some systemic, exciting changes in 2021.

Behind Kaleb’s leadership, we will now be providing a multi-touch program, resulting in deeper mentorship experiences for a more targeted number of youth from backgrounds that are underexposed to nature. Programming will take on the form of three distinct year-long tracks focused on varied outdoor activities and learning modules (organic farming, cycling, and mountaineering). Highly vulnerable and impactful conversations, between our athletes and teens, will continue to be our unique ingredient within each track. We’re still working out the final details, but early designs look like the following model, while instilling our three value pillars: self, community & adaptability:

· Each pro athlete works with the same 10 teens over the course of the year

· Two experiential, in-person days within each track (i.e. organic farm near North Bend)

· Several 1-on-1, digital / zoom touch points between the athletes & youth

· Additional self reflection projects throughout the year