News & Views
Jack Johnson ’18 Trains to Become Wilderness EMT
Jack Johnson ’18 has always been drawn to adventure – particularly in the great outdoors. Growing up, he spent lots of time hiking with family in Idaho, so it was only natural when he chose to partake in a three-week backpacking trip in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains with NOLS the summer before ninth grade.
It was a transformative experience for Jack—and the inspiration behind obtaining his Wilderness First Aid certification (which likely came in handy on OAT!) and his “This I Believe” speech that year. Following Country School, Jack returned to NOLS, this time to Boulder, CO, where he trained to earn his Wilderness First Responder certification.
At The Hotchkiss School, Jack continues to pursue wilderness and leadership opportunities. He is a member of the varsity cross-country team, the 2019-2020 Outing Club Co-President, an Admissions Tour Guide, and an Orientation Leader. Jack will also serve as a Student Board Member for the Hotchkiss Medical Society, which hosts fundraisers, events and speakers to get students interested in medical careers and runs training courses on campus for emergency first aid.
This summer Jack is training to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at Norwalk Hospital, sponsored through the New Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The course is 6 hours per day; 5 days a week in-person, plus 3-4 hours a day of online coursework as well as clinical rotations onboard the Norwalk Hospital ambulances. His goal is to become a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (W-EMT) through NOLS.
So where might we see Jack in 5 or 10 years? He says his interests in medicine and the outdoors don’t necessarily indicate a future in either field, but that the common thread here is crisis management—reaching people on the worst day of their lives. Jack harkens back to his first NOLS trip, where he feels he was able to refine and grow his critical thinking skills in order to build confidence and grow as a leader. “I find crisis energizing,” he said. “I want to be the one who can act quickly, stay cool, and find the right solution under pressure.” To that we say—go boldly!
Jack also serves as an Ambassador for NOLS (the National Outdoor Leadership School) and is happy to speak with anyone who may be interested in the program. You can reach Jack directly at jjohnson22@hotchkiss.org.
New Canaan Country School
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