This summer, New York City’s famed Central Park will be the backdrop for the world’s first two-day Outdoor Youth Summit and Festival, on June 19th & 20th. River City Canoe & Kayak and Louisville Metro Parks will be sponsoring a Louisville-area youth to send to the summit and are looking for those young leaders who will commit to championing paddle sports.
Outdoor Nation is a non-profit nex-gen movement to champion the outdoors. The members include artists, athletes advocates and ambassadors who have all come together to reclaim, redefine and rediscover the outdoors. Their next step in spreading and mobilizing the movement is to host the Outdoor Youth Summit and Festival for youths nationwide.
According to the website www.outdoornation.org, the event sponsors are looking for 500 youths from all 50 states to take part in this ground-breaking event. Over the course of the two days, the event “will turn Central Park into the ultimate, outdoor adventure playground and entertainment festival complete with concerts and cultural festivities, as well as nature-based activities. The second day involves convening the first-ever youth-led national summit on youth and the outdoors where delegations of 500 young people from each of the 50 states will set the agenda, host the meetings, lead the conversations, and develop action plans."
According to Doug Davis, owner of River City Canoe & Kayak, “This is a win for everyone involved. outdoor recreation in general and paddle sports specifically are fun, build confidence, lay the foundations of a healthy lifestyle, and act as gateways to interest in the sciences. We don’t care what you paddle, or how much or how little you paddle. We just want to find a young person with a passion for paddle sports, and who wants to share how much fun it is with others."
Youths ages 18-24 are welcome to submit their applications before the May 20th deadline to be the selected Outdoor Nation leader. The chosen ambassador’s sponsorship includes all travel expenses including airfare, hotel accommodations and local transportation.
The application must include the following information:
1) A resume (maximum 1 page) detailing your leadership experience, academic achievement, evidence of your actual or desired experience in the outdoors, including, but not limited to paddle sports such as canoeing or kayaking, and references.
2) A concise (maximum 75-word) paragraph describing the project that you would propose to implement upon your return from the summit to increase awareness of and participation in paddle sports (realizing that this project is subject to change depending upon information received and experiences gained at the Summit).
Submissions can be sent to:
Mr. Douglas Davis, c/o River City Canoe & Kayak 814 Cherokee Rd Louisville, KY 40204 or e-mail Info@RCCKonline.com
Photo Courtesy of and for more information please visit: www.outdoornation.org
