Student Conservation Association

This week marks the 8th Annual SCA Alum Week (June 21-27). To celebrate their service, we are spotlighting an array of SCA alums, including Rachel Garber, the SCA's Alum Council Chair.

Forty years after first joining the SCA as a high school crew member at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Rachel remains deeply connected to the organization. Her SCA journey also included service at Glacier National Park (Montana), where she met one of her closest friends, and internships at Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) and North Cascades National Park (Washington).

One of her most unforgettable experiences was spending three months at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, studying fish populations along Bright Angel Creek to help prevent overfishing. Living on her own for the first time at the Bright Angel Ranger Station, she learned to plan meals around what mule trains could carry into the canyon, and spent evenings taking in the canyon's shifting light, reflecting on the people she met, and appreciating the steady sound of the Colorado River.

Rachel credits the SCA with giving her the confidence to do hard things, from living in the backcountry at 10,000 feet as a shy 17-year-old to learning how to stop a fall with an ice axe on a glacial field in the North Cascades. These experiences pushed her in new ways and showed her she could thrive in a range of settings alongside people from diverse backgrounds.

She feels the SCA’s impact is undeniable.

“It was incredibly unique to live in and intimately get to know four different national parks. It was also an amazing way to try on very different types of work, from visitor services and naturalist programs to trail crew and research,” she said.

Rachel encourages current and future members to embrace the unexpected, stay open to new paths, and remain connected to the SCA community long after their service ends. And, she says, do not hesitate to reach out to our Alum Council members if you ever need anything!

We invite you to join us in the festivities! Learn more: https://thesca.org/alumweek.

This week marks the 8th Annual SCA Alum Week (June 21-27). To celebrate their service, we are spotlighting an array of SCA alums like Keli Bedics, the SCA's Alum Council Vice-Chair.

What began in 1985 as a search for adventure in the great outdoors became much more for Keli.

As a member of an SCA high school work group at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Keli spent her summer living and working outdoors alongside students from across the country, building trails, overcoming challenges, and discovering the value of teamwork.

The following year, she was selected for the first-ever international high school work group exchange in Germany's Bavarian Forest National Park, where 10 American students partnered with 10 German students on conservation projects.

Forty years later, one of Keli's favorite memories is the day her crew completed the puncheon bridging on the Klosterfilz Trail. Because of her German language skills, she represented the group during a radio interview at the trail's grand opening ceremony.

Everything went smoothly until the interviewer switched from standard German to the local Bavarian dialect, leaving Keli completely stumped—and the crowd, her supervisors, and fellow crew members laughing along with the unforgettable moment.

“Serving with the SCA is so much more than just participating in outdoor projects. It is working as a team with students from other cities, states and backgrounds,” she said. “It’s learning how to work together to overcome obstacles."

Today, as vice-chair of the SCA Alum Council, we are grateful she stays connected to the community that helped shape her journey. She encourages fellow alums to engage and support each other.

Ready to represent your SCA pride? Let’s make this the biggest SCA Alum Week yet!

Learn more about how you can participate here: https://thesca.org/alumweek.

Calling all Student Conservation Association alums! 🌲 Whether you served 5 months or 50 years ago, it’s time to reconnect. We invite you to join us for the 8th Annual SCA Alum Week (June 21–27).

Take part in the fun from wherever you are with SCA BINGO & BioBlitz, plus earn exclusive gear & potentially win Southwest Airlines flights.

Ready to represent your SCA pride? Let’s make this the biggest SCA Alum Week yet!

Learn more: https://thesca.org/alumweek

With fire seasons getting longer and fires getting bigger, we’re training the next generation of conservation leaders to meet the challenge.

We officially kicked off the fourth season of our Wildland Fire Academy, with 14 teams ready to make a difference.

In 2025 alone, program participants completed over 35,500 service hours, managed 15,000 acres of prescribed burns and received 315 federally recognized certifications.

This isn't just training; it’s essential disaster recovery work that protects millions of people living near America's national forests.

Learn more about the SCA's Wildland Fire Academy: https://thesca.org/sca-wildland-fire-academy

📸: James Martin

Did you know that spending even 10 to 20 minutes outside can boost your mood, sharpen your focus, and lower stress? Research from Cornell University confirms what many of us have felt after spending time outside.

May is Mental Health Month, and we want to know how you’re recharging. Whether you love walking the dog, gardening, sitting by the water, or catching a sunset, we want to hear what your favorite way is to connect with nature. Or better yet, share a photo in the comments of your go-to spot for a mental reset.

Bonus points if it's a park or other public lands where our SCA crews have been working!

📸: Robert Johnson