Senior Staff

Joey Skoloda, Founder and Camp Leader

I am an active father of three wonderful children who are currently enrolled in Arlington Public Schools.  I have created and run summer youth programs for the past five years and have also recently been a soccer coach, PTA President, church volunteer including instructional lessons, and a volunteer fund raiser.  I believe staying active in children’s lives while providing them opportunities for self-directed learning is the best way to influence positive life choices.  I enjoy camping and a variety of outdoor adventures.  Many skills were learned in the Boy Scouts during activities like sailing at the BSA High Adventure Sea Base in Florida, and back country hiking in Cimarron NM.  Recently I have been revisiting and rediscovering many great local areas as a camper and a paddle boater. (Wilderness First Aid and CPR Certified, ACA Instructor Certified)

Favorite camping moment:  Watching the sunset at the edge of the river after a memorable solo hike into the Grand Canyon.
Favorite adventure activity:    Currently white water kayaking
Favorite class:  Physics, because of cool experiments like connecting theories of acceleration and force to the reality of protecting an egg which was dropped off the school roof!

Laura Novak, Founder and Camp Leader

 I am the mother of three teenage boys, and I love sharing with them my enthusiasm for outdoor adventures!    Winter camping is one of my favorite activities - the colder the better!  Nothing beats a long hike during the day followed by a roaring fire and hot cocoa at night.    I frequently participate in adventure racing and enjoy the physical and intellectual challenges of the sport.
I believe it is important to be an active participant in schools and the broader community.  I am the past PTA President for Claremont Immersion Elementary School in Arlington, VA and President of the Arlington County Council of PTAs (CCPTA).  I am also a past member of the LunaChix Triathlon team and raise money for breast cancer prevention awareness.  I have coached Little League Baseball and NFL Flag Football regional and house teams.   I also served on the board of Arlington Travel Baseball. 
For me, the idea of combining outdoor adventures with educational opportunities seems like a no -brainer! (Wilderness First Aid and CPR Certified, ACA Instructor Certified)

Favorite camping moment:  Camping in single degree temps!
Favorite adventure activity:  Hard to choose, and it changes often, but at the moment it is mountain biking.
Favorite class:  High School Calculus.  Not sure I could solve a calculus problem today, but I have very fond memories of this class - mostly because of the teacher.