NOS History

Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) was founded in 2002 by Stephanie Lefevre. She desired to establish an outdoor education program in rural Nevada that would create a sense of land stewardship amongst students of all ages. NOS gained its 501c3 non-profit status in 2003, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps, the City of Winnemucca and Humboldt County. Over the next few years, NOS increased funding through grants and strengthening partnerships with organizations such as the National Civilian Community Corps and the United Way. By 2006, NOS had created over 20 volunteer positions through AmeriCorps, VISTA and the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) program.

Stephanie Lefevre stepped down as Executive Director in 2009 and passed the reins to Andy Hart who has continued to build upon the great programs and level of service NOS has provided over the years. NOS is now the main hub for AmeriCorps in Rural Nevada, placing 15-20 individuals with worthy community organizations each year. NOS has always relied on partnerships with local, state and national agencies and organizations. Recently, growth has continued in particular due to strong local support from corporate partners such as Newmont Mining and Barrick Gold. Now serving over 1,000 students each month with a variety of classroom programs, field trips and summer camps, NOS has also been expanding opportunities for families to get outdoors together. Volunteer conservation projects and outdoor ethics, including ATV safety certification, are other areas of programming which NOS can now provide. Watch out for new programs in neighboring counties like Elko as well.

We are excited to see where the next few years will take us, will you come along for the ride?