July Newsletter: Meet Our New Summer Staff
Meet Our New Summer Staff!
It's been an exciting summer for Coombs Outdoors. Not only are we offering programs for more than 160 kids through our K-12 Activate, Engage, Empower Curriculum, but our growing programs have allowed us to hire five new seasonal summer staff to help lead the next generation of outdoor adventurers.
These amazing new Summer Camp Counselors bring years of experience as recreators, outdoor educators, and past participants in Coombs programs (yes, you read that right: this summer we're thrilled to have our first Coombs graduate returning to lead programs this summer). We have already learned so much from this dedicated group of leaders and are so excited for you to get to know them as we Activate, Engage, and Empower youth in Teton County this summer!
Also, a huge thank you to Hannah Martinelli, Pippa Blau, Molly Watters, Laura Gaylord, and Maggie Shipley, our phenomenal year-round staff who are leading Activate and Engage Camps. Summer wouldn't be the same without you!
Sahir Enriquez, Engage Summer Counselor
Sahir grew up in Jackson, but didn’t discover his love for the outdoors until after high school. He went to school at the University of Montana and spent every weekend climbing or backpacking. When he moved back to Jackson he discovered all the trailheads and mountains he never knew he was missing. His younger sister, Bethany, has been a Coombs participant for the last eight years, an opportunity Sahir wished he’d had when he was growing up. “Jackson is such a great place to spend time outside and I missed that when I was a kid, so it’s really rewarding to share it with the kids now,” he says of working for Coombs. Prior to joining the Coombs Outdoors team as a summer instructor, Sahir has been a consistent volunteer and mentor.
“So many people have lived in this community for years and never had the chance to spend time outside. My hope is to give them the skills to teach others and have confidence to go out on their own.”
As well as leading Engage backpacking trips, Sahir helped put together the first Coombs team for the Town Pump, and has been leading hikes in Spanish for the local Latinx community.
Marcus Carreto, Activate Summer Counselor
Marcus was born and raised in Jackson, and learned to ski when Coombs started offering programs back in 2012. He started working at Snow King in 7th and 8th grade and volunteered to help with Coombs ski school on the weekends. “That’s when Coombs started to become really important to me,” he remembers.
“Spending time outside with Coombs expanded what I saw in myself. Instead of being at home I was skiing or rafting or backpacking.”
Marcus graduated from high school last year, and is excited to become a mentor for the younger kids, getting to take on a leadership role. “I love watching the kids grow and learn what they’re capable of. Learning to ski and try new things outside taught me that you can do anything if you try. Eventually you’ll get it even if you’re not an expert right away. I always felt like there was a barrier between me and the activities around here. Coombs helped me realize you don’t need a ton of money to go outside and hike.”
Mayra Ramirez, Engage Summer Counselor
Mayra moved to Jackson 14 years ago, and remembers learning to ski on her own before Coombs programs existed. “I joined the ski team but I felt really left out because I was the only Latina woman there. I always thought I wasn’t good enough or capable enough to try those sports because I didn’t grow up in a family where my parents could just buy me that cool new bike,” she says. Mayra loves spending time outside in Jackson and has always wanted to learn to backpack, climb, mountain bike, and fly fish. “But it was always hard to find someone to do it with so I never did,” she says.
“Coombs has opened up the possibility of doing so many new things, realizing that I’m good enough and that I can break down those barriers with the right people and the right environment. It’s opened up the life I’ve always wanted to live.”
Mayra is excited to learn alongside the kids this summer, showing them you’re never too old to try something new. “There are all these activities we do in camp that I’ve never done before, and I want kids to see someone who’s older but still learning. I think kids can get discouraged when they try new things for the first time and I can show them that it doesn’t matter how old you are.”
Ellie Hodgson, Activate Summer Counselor
Ellie grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and spent her childhood going to summer camp in Colorado. Her time at camp inspired her to move to Boulder for college, where she spent time backpacking, learning to rock climb, and working in outdoor education. “Seeing the confidence spending time outside builds and the friendships you make is something you can’t get in just any setting,” she says.
“The outdoors have given me confidence and pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and take risks in a reasonable way. The concept of trying and learning new things is something I can apply to so many other things in life.”
Ellie feels lucky to have discovered her love for the outdoors at a young age, and wants to help Coombs participants discover that too. “I think getting into the outdoors is hard if your family doesn’t do it or you don’t know people who are into it. There’s such a knowledge barrier and it’s hard to find people to teach you who you’re comfortable around. I’m excited to be working for Coombs to help kids look at the barriers and see that they can get over them.”
Walter Topete, Engage Summer Counselor
Walter visited Jackson for the first time when he was 14, as part of Children’s Grand Adventure, a program that brings cancer survivors to Teton Science Schools to camp, hike, and explore the greater Yellowstone area. Born in Guadalajara and raised in Houston, he didn’t spend much time outside until after college, but his experience in Jackson as a kid inspired him to pursue a career and lifestyle outdoors. “Being outside offers opportunities for a way of life you would never have anticipated, but the outdoors are intimidating and expensive if your parents don’t introduce you to it. It was definitely intimidating for me. If it wasn’t for my experience here when I was 14 I may as well be bummed out in an office building,” he says.
“Humans got really good at being comfortable indoors. Being outside can invite discomfort and discomfort invites growth. I’m really honored to be here working with Coombs and I’m excited to show kids an avenue that’s different, to help them try new experiences that are unfamiliar but make them fun and comfortable.”
Partner of the Month: Rendezvous River Sports
A huge thank you to Rendezvous River Sports for donating paddle boards for Coombs summer programs, discounted ducky trips for three groups, and supporting the new Empower High School Internship program with two interns this summer. Rendezvous has been supportive of Coombs for many years,
Letter from the Executive Director
Summer is here in Jackson and Coombs Outdoors summer programs are in full swing. June brought three weeks of Activate camps serving 75 kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Activate campers enjoyed paddle boarding at R Park, climbing with Exum guides, swimming in the Snake River, hiking and wildflower hunting at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and, my personal favorite, tie-dying. Middle School Engage campers spent June in Intro Clinics which were designed to dive deeper into the skills and mechanics of mountain biking, kayaking, and rock climbing. This summer, Coombs is excited to support middle schoolers who are interested in participating in local clubs like the JH Youth Mountain Bike league, the JH Kayaking Club, and the Town Pump. Fourteen high school students are successfully placed in internships through the Coombs Empower program. Throughout June, prior to starting their jobs, these teens went through workshops that focused on professional development skills, financial literacy, and self-advocacy. They celebrated the end of their training week with a two-night camping trip.
These programs focus on providing local youth a sense of belonging and inclusion in the Jackson community and culture, building independence and confidence, and supporting mental health. We couldn’t do this without a talented and connected staff. The team this summer includes not only return staff and volunteers, but also Coombs participants who were introduced to outdoor recreation opportunities through Coombs Outdoors and are excited and committed to providing the same experiences to the next generation. I have already learned so much from our summer team and am honored to see firsthand the significant impact that they are having on Coombs kids.
Happy Summer!
Jenny Wolfrom Holladay
Executive Director
