Wonderful Outdoor World Colorado
No Child Left Inside!
Staff and Volunteer Oportunities
We are excited to announce we have begun looking for dedicted indivduals willing to volunteer or work as youth counselors for our Summer 2009 season. WOW has been blessed to have great volunteers and staff over the past eleven years that have truly become the heart and sould of our programming. All staff and volunteer counselors complete background checks with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (paid for by the camp) and are interveiwed to ensure the safety and quality of services made availabe by WOW. Whether you serve as a counselor for one or all programs, we encourage you to get involved with and join us as we bring the opportunities and wonders of the outdoor world to youth in the Denver metro area.
Click here for Guidelines and Responsibilities of being a WOW Counselor
Click here for a Counselor Agreement
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WOW Staff
Executive Director - Micah Klaver
(WFA Certified)
Micah Klaver is WOW Colorado ’s new Camp Director. Micah has worked with youth in variety of capacities for the past seven years. He volunteered working with CARENET/Americorps in Commerce City, CO teaching elementary age students literacy skills, worked with White Lake Area Community Education (a program recognized as the best Community Education program by the state of Michigan); and is currently enrolled in the Elementary Education program at University of Colorado in Denver to gain a Professional Teaching Certificate and his Urban Education Endorsement. Micah is dedicated to the growth and development of this program as WOW looks forward into the coming years.
E-mail: micah_klaver@yahoo.com
Brooke Herrmann: WOW Operations
I became involved with WOW Colorado last summer as a volunteer and am now eagerly awaiting the next season of campers. I am from Port Washington, Wisconsin. I would consider myself skilled in prognostication since I know you are imitating my accent while saying Wisconsin in your head. I received a BA in social work from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. The day after I completed my classes I moved to Denver to begin my work with CARENET AmeriCorps and am now in my second year with the program. In addition to my ability to forsee the future, I have many hidden talents including making pizzas and planting trees. I love running, camping, hiking, skiing, reading, live music, traveling, organizing, and surrounding myself with some of the greatest people on earth. In regards to the future, there is only one thing I can say for sure…I plan to change the world!
Ryan Smith: WOW Operations Coordinator (WFA Certified)
Ryan will begin his fourth season with WOW. Ryan has a Bachelors degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in K-12 Music Education. Ryan also possesses years of experience working with youth not only with WOW, but also as a teacher. Ryan has extensive outdoor experience and a love for the outdoors, a characteristic of all in WOW family.
E-mail: rhynosmiz@hotmail.com
WOW Board of Directors
Ken Sherbenou: Denver Parks and Recreation, Rude Rec. Center
Ken’s belief in the power of parks and recreation to help build vibrant, healthy communities led him to pursue this career path. He brings nearly 10 years of recreational programming experience directing, administering, and managing operations in recreation centers, non-profits programs, student governments, in intramurals and athletics, and in outdoor recreation. Ken will continue to work with the WOW program on the administrative side. Ken will advise the program on budgetary measures, planning of camps, networking, finding in-kind contributors and corporate support, and working with other WOW Colorado Board members. Ken has been the Camp Director for seven years and has greatly increased the quality of the program while continuing to reduce costs. Ken hold two Bachelor degrees, one in Political Science and one in Economics, both from the University of Colorado at Boulder . In addition, he possesses a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver . Currently, Ken is the Recreation Supervisor operating a large, multi-purpose recreation center for the City of Denver . Ken has worked with children in one form or another for nearly a decade, and his leadership has allowed for WOW Colorado to continually grow and thrive. Ken’s love for the outdoors and working with children has helped WOW become the wonderful program it is today. E-mail: kensherbenou@yahoo.com
Matt Herbert: Outreach Program Manager, Denver Zoo.
Matt works in the Education and Volunteer Services Department of Denver Zoo. Matt oversees education programs which take place in schools and in the community. Staff and volunteers bring live animals and provide classes, assemblies and service-learning programs to schools, senior centers, libraries and community based organizations. Matt also manages the Wonders in Nature-Wonders in Neighborhoods (W.I.N.-W.I.N.) program. W.I.N.-W.I.N. provides outreach, hands-on science, wildlife education activities, field site visits and family days to approximately 7,000 urban, low-income students in the Denver area.
Matt has worked at Denver Zoo since 1997. Prior to his work at Denver Zoo, Matt was a kindergarten tutor for Denver Public Schools, trail crew leader for City of Boulder Open Space, intern with the U.S. Agency for International Development, camp counselor and adventure trip leader. Matt and his wife Allison have a 3 year old son, Nico, and 18 month old daughter, Havana.
Tabbi Kinion: Project WILD Coordinator, Colorado Division of Wildlife
In high school she participated in a program that included lots of time outside studying the Big Thompson River. Her love for that class lead to her choice to go to Colorado State University to study Natural Resources Management. During college she worked with the Colorado Division of Wildlife where she discovered that education about the natural world was what she was going to do as her career.
After college Tabbi spent time as a park ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park working with school groups, as an education assistant for the Colorado Division of Wildlife and then she found a seasonal job west of Golden with Lookout Mountain Nature Center, part of Jefferson County Open Space. That 6-month job turned into a permanent position, and suddenly 5 years had flown by when the Project WILD Coordinator position with the Colorado Division of Wildlife presented a new opportunity.
Through this position, Tabbi works with an amazing volunteer team to provide professional development for educators across Colorado. Using the nationally acclaimed Project WILD curricula coupled with amazing local resources, the program helps Colorado educators teach about the wildlife and natural resources abundant in our state. She is proud to offer support to the WOW program through her participation on the board and during the WOW I camps as a guest presenter.
Jessie Rathburn : Program Manager, Hope Communities
Jessie Rathburn graduated from Southern Nazarene University with a BA in both Theology and Music. She is currently serving as Program Manager with Hope Communities. In this role she organizes and facilitates programming to meet residents’ needs in the areas of adult education, community involvement, health and wellness, economic development, and children and youth. Prior to working with Hope Communities, Jessie served as an AmeriCorps CARENET member in Commerce City , Colorado , taught English and piloted a humanitarian aid program in Tihkvin , Russia , and served as an AmeriCorps member with Project Transformation in Dallas , TX . There she helped develop and co-direct a Trips for Kids chapter. Jessie has been involved with WOW for two seasons now, both as a volunteer and as a partner agency representative. Jessie’s love for the outdoors is apparent as she tries to connect more kids with the wonders of nature. Jessie is proud to partner with WOW and is excited about the many things WOW will accomplish in the future.