Blog
My name is Nick Wheeler. I am the new Outdoor Education Director at Camp Takodah. I am very excited to be starting this new adventure in New Hampshire. I previously worked for 5 years as Outdoor Education & Conference Director at Camp Lakewood in Missouri. I come with a wife and 2 young kids! My wife, Jamie is originally from California, and my kids are Lily who just turned 6 and Jack is 4 years old. All they have known is camp life and are definitely camp kids!
I love Outdoor Education as it gives the opportunity for kids to come to camp and do all kinds of activities in the great outdoors, learn, thrive and have fun. What I look out for most in a school group is that shy kid, the one that is quiet at school, will not say anything, will avoid talking, and help them to nurture themselves in teambuilding settings. I have seen many shy kids blossom in the outdoor environment, whether it’s participating in a survival hike or completing the high ropes course – the aim is for that kid to take away the skills they have learned, transfer them to school and home life. I was that shy kid so I feel I can empathize with him or her and encourage them to become more assertive as an individual or in a group setting.
Our spring season starts April 29th and ends June 14th. My staff are enthusiastic, committed to serving the schools that come to Takodah. We will go above and beyond to make your Retreat is a success, build a program that meets your school’s needs, whether your focus is a class celebration, a focus on leadership, or working together as a team. Our program has a lasting impact on students and teachers and will develop friendship, character, achievement, and community. Students with us will grow, learn and thrive! We do have a few dates left available for the spring season – if you need more information please contact me at 603-352-0447 or at nick@takodahymca.org
I am originally from England although I have lived in the US for 10 years. I meet my wife at a Y camp. I was working in the program department and she was an intern. She obviously fell for my English accent, good looks, and charm (!!?) as she came to live with me in England after my visa expired. This was back when George Bush was President! I could no longer live in the US and Jamie could not live in the UK so we taught English for a year in Indonesia. I was on a 60-foot boat that sank in the Indonesian Ocean (you will have to ask me about that one!). On vacation in Bali, I proposed on the beach with the tide coming in rapidly around us. I moved to the US and we opened up our own smoothie and juice bar in California. Working for myself, you put in a 16+hour day in, build a customer clientele, and develop bonds with schools, teachers, and parents. You gain a solid work ethic that I use in my day-to-day life and will encrypt in my staff to put the students in Outdoor Education first.
I am a bit of a nerd. I like nerdy things. Being English, I love my tea (PG Tips rules!); I love Football (soccer) and would happily get up at 4.30am to watch the English Premiership. I support Brighton who are in the Prem but near the bottom. I like mountain biking, used to swim competitively and am doing my first Triathlon in May, which I am excited, but I detest running! If I run to the toilet, I will get a stitch! I love music, am a vinyl collector and love movies. Most of my time is spent as a Family Man, I love seeing life through my children’s eyes – I am a man of simple pleasures but a man of a certain age! I look forward to meeting everyone at camp, meeting new people, learning about new cultures. If you see an Englishman at camp, please take the time to say Hi & I will talk to anyone. It was Lennon that said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans!”
CATEGORY: Takodah Whispers