Meet the Leaders at Pittsburgh King | Part 1

Middle school students at Pittsburgh King on the Northside are becoming the next generation of outdoor leaders. Last September, these students kicked off the year with team-building activities and practicing paddle talks. Since then, they have practiced their paddling skills on the river and in a pool, tracked down clues in geocaching, and participated in a bike rodeo. They closed out the first semester with a trip to ASCEND. Learn about their leadership journeys from the students themselves. 

Brooke 

Favorite Venture Outdoors experience: I love button making and pig lungs. 

Memory with Venture Outdoors: I’m involved with Venture Outdoors as an explorer to try new things and explore new places and to see what’s out in the world. 

Things I learned about leadership: Leadership to me is kindness, confidence, brave, understanding, willingness to help others, and has a level head mind. 

Things About Myself:  

• I love rain because I love the sound and the color blue. 
• My favorite food is barbecue ribs. 
• My favorite outdoor activity is running. 

Tatiana 

Favorite Venture Outdoors experience: My favorite activity is button making, pig lungs, and Geocaching. Button making is really fun, and I gave one to my mom for her birthday. Pig lungs are soft, and that was my first time touched an animal lung.  

Memory with Venture Outdoors: Before Venture Outdoors, I was hesitate to go outside, and VO gave me an opportunity, makes me love new experiences. 

Things About Myself: 

• My favorite color is blue. 
• My favorite food is pizza and spaghetti. 

Marquise

Favorite Venture Outdoors experience: kayaking 

Things I learned about leadership: Leadership to me is showing respect to others and nature. 

Things About Myself: 

• I like to play video games. 
• I want to be a gaming Youtuber in the future. 
• Nature makes me feel relaxed, and I want to go outside more and doing more things with nature. 

Jonathan 

Favorite Venture Outdoors experience: I like geocaching because I like looking for clues. 

Things I learned about leadership: What leadership outside looks like to me is when people respect nature. 

Memory with Venture Outdoors: Venture Outdoors made me a better leader, and it taught me to respect nature and to have fun. 

Things About Myself: 

• I like to dance, listen to music and draw. 
• My favorite color is purple. 
• I like walking around outside with my friends. 
• I want to be an artist in the future.