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Staff Bios

 

Who Does New River Academy Employ?

Working for a high school that travels the world seeking the best cultural, educational, and whitewater destinations seems like the perfect job for an educator. But is it?

When Andy Kirby was interviewed to become the mathematics instructor he was asked, "What is the most important aspect of teaching?" Andy summed it up with four words, "You have to care."

Lets not kid ourselves. Traveling with a dozen teens in a communal environment is demanding. Staff have to be educators first, care for their students, be a role model, and be a part of a team. Teaching is not always easy. But with the right employees New River Academy students develop into impressive ambassadors and gain acceptance to the best universities.

Meet Your Teachers

David Hughes, Executive Director

David is the founder and director of the New River Academy. David still actively leads programs, coaches, and teaches courses as trips allow.

David began his educational career as a wrestling coach and science teacher for Walker County Schools, GA. As a former NCAA Division I athlete David has always had a drive to succeed that is fostered in Huge Experiences programs. During his first year as head coach the Georgia Associated Press voted David as the Coach of the Year. “To this date the coach of the year honor was my proudest single moment.”

During David’s university studies he adopted a positive reinforcement philosophy of education that would become the foundation of the New River Academy learning model. David founded Huge Experiences in 2001 as the nations’ top kayak training camps for juniors. The following year Huge Experiences would claim 9 of 10 junior seats on the US team including 2 national champions. The next year would bring two-runner-up world champions, more national champion medals, and the winning tradition had begun.

David states, “Back then we would drive the short bus from one event to the next and the kids were taking every medal. I was traveling, coaching, and running the school on the road for 10 months per year. There was not much budget, but the experiences are something I will always be proud to share.” Huge Experiences was growing at a fast pace, and David opted for something most fast growing businesses miss. Faced with the decision of running a successful high school and leading training camps David chose to downsize and focus on the education division.

Huge Experiences had began as kayak camps and now was evolving into the prestigious New River Academy. David states, “I was telling myself for years that I could not wait until things got easier, but as we won events the camps and school kept growing as did my workload. We killed the camps to focus on New River Academy and began recommending our campers to the best kayak programs.” This networking became our model for giving back to the kayak community.

“And that has made all the difference.”

Matt Smink - Director

Matt Smink grew up in Pennsylvania where he discovered whitewater on the Youghiogheny river. He earned his bachelor degree from Edinboro Pennsylvania where he studied Applied Media arts and History.

Matt went on to work a variety of whitewater and outdoor jobs in the past ten years which included Raft Guiding, Video Boating, Ridgerunning on the Appalachian Trail, ski Patrolling in the mountains of Utah and being a wilderness river ranger for the Forest Service on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers of Idaho.

Matt returned to west virginia to work as a videographer and web developer with WELD in Fayetteville, WV. He joined the team at New River Academy in 2009 as the Media Specialist/Marketing Director; as well as the Social Studies Teacher. Matt Smink is now the Director of New River Academy and is commited to continuing the long standing tradition of excellence of the kayak school.

 

 

Anna Bruno

Anna Bruno is an accomplished whitewater kayaker and skier with a passion for teaching, yoga, photography and the outdoors.

Anna is a graduate of Colby College (Waterville, ME), where she earned a B.A in French Language and International Relations. During her time at Colby, Anna was fortunate enough to take two semesters abroad, to Dijon, France, and Cameroon, West Africa, inspiring a love of travel. At Colby Anna captained her track team, competing in the pole vault, relays and short sprints.

A registered yoga teacher (RYT 200) through the Kripalu program, as well as a Level 4 ACA kayak instructor, Anna has taught kayaking and yoga in Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, North Carolina, Uganda and Nepal.

After 3 years teaching and working as the Operations Manager for www.kayakthenile.com (Uganda), Anna headed Wilderness Tours’ infamous Keener program as the Keener Coordinator. As the “Keener mom” Anna not only looked after 20+ teenage kayakers and their pro kayaker coaches, but also helped develop youth leadership programs and team building activities for their time off the water.

After years of hearing great things about Huge Experiences and New River Academy, and seeing their monogrammed PFD’s on rivers around the world, Anna is thrilled to be working with New River Academy this year where she will be assistant coaching in addition to teaching US Government, Honors English and World Literature.

 

Seth Dow: Math Teacher Extraordinaire

Seth Dow grew up in the small town of Sebastopol, CA. It was there that he began his study of Economics and Math, earning AA’s in both subjects from Santa Rosa Junior College. During a break between the Junior College and UC Santa Cruz, he attended an Outdoor leadership program at Feather River College. This was his first taste of the outdoor profession. He fell in love with kayaking and avidly pursued it from then on. His first outdoor job was working in Idaho on the Payette River, where he lived and worked for four summers. During this time he became a leader in the kayaking community. He acted as a guide for transitioning kayaking on the NF Payette, which has 18 miles of continuous class V.
After Graduating with a degree in Economics from UCSC, Seth interned at Feather River College as an Assistant Instructor of Outdoor Recreation Leadership. The ORL program teaches skills in backcountry winter travel, snow camping, telemark skiing, rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, and backpacking. During this time he earned his certification as a Wilderness First Responder, Commercial Driver, and Swiftwater Rescue Technician. This internship helped Seth realize his potential as an educator and lead him into a Masters program at UCSC.

He returned to UC Santa Cruz in the summer of 2009 to complete an MA in Math Education in the summer of 2010. He then took a year off and went to Alta, Utah to work as a cook and ski all winter. In the spring, he made a connection through teaching a beginning whitewater class that led him to New River Academy.  He now works at New River as the Math instructor, Residential Life Coordinator, and Assistant Coach.

Seth believes a few thing are really important in life: giving people the opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally, finding what you are passionate about and pursuing it fully, and doing all this in an environmentally and psychologically sustainable way. His commitment to these ideals and his love of kayaking brought him to New River Academy.

 

Chris Smith- Associate Head of School, Academic Coordinator

Chris Smith grew up very close to New York City on Long Island. At a young age he realized that city life was to constricting. After graduating High School Chris made the decision to move to Colorado and pursue his passion… skiing. It wasn’t long before he found the Arkansas River and began to learn how to kayak, while working as a whitewater raft guide.

Over the next several years Chris managed to earn an MS in geology from West Virginia University while improving his whitewater skills. His initial teaching experience was earned at WVU teaching freshman geology courses.
He has also taught 11th grade Earth Science as a New York City teaching fellow.

The past few years Chris has been a staff member at the New River Academy, where his job, and his passion collide into one fantastic experience. In his words “ I get to do what I love... and go kayaking everyday as well”. Chris is now the Academic Coordinator at the “academy” and is committed to upholding the tradition of excellence the school has built its reputation on.

 

 

 

Tino Specht:  Coach, Video Media Instructor and Wilderness Survival Courses

Tino Specht is our Video Media instructor and kayak coach. Tino is a former student of New River Academy who began his career with the academy as an intern student.  After performing on the highest level Tino became a full time educator and leader.  Tino give personal attention to each students athletic needs.  His videos are utilized as a coaching tool that will give you an advantage in your mastery of kayak technique.

 

 

Tino has a wealth of knowledge and experience for students wishing to produce kayaking films. Tino teaches the Final Cut Pro editing software, and motivates students with a variety of creative projects.  Tino is sponsored by Team Bliss-stick, Snapdragon, and Level Six gear.

 

Kai Wen Pai

Kai-Wen was born and raised in a small but charming tropical country named Taiwan, and at the age of 16, he decided to travel to the U.S. by himself to embark a new life experience. While studying at Hopkins, he tutored local middle and high school students in mathematics and physics through a community tutor program, and that experience has planted a seed for his future pursuit for teaching. At the University, while other engineering students choose to spend their whole weekend hiding in the library with misery studying for exams, Kai-Wen chooses to go creeking or surfing waves. Through kayaking, Kai-Wen has met many friends and one of them, introduced him to New River Academy, and he started to imagine the possibility.

This past year, Kai-Wen graduated from the Johns Hopkins University with a B.S. degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Upon graduation, he was also offered admission to the MS program in Material Science and Engineering in Northwestern University. However, with an interest in teaching and a dream of kayaking around the world, he decided to defer his graduate studies and join New River Academy as a Mathematics and Physics teacher. So far, it’s been amazing.

 

Kira Tenney

Kira Tenney was lucky enough to grow up in Ketchum, Idaho with her mom and spend her summers in Paia, Maui, and Telluride, Colorado with her dad.  Being surrounded by such incredible playgrounds, she immediately developed a love, passion, and ultimate addiction for recreating in the great outdoors.

Kira attended Middlebury College in Vermont, and also studied abroad with the School for International Training in Madagascar, where she did an independent study on the potential of recreational tourism to help with sustainable community development and environmental protection.  Upon graduating from Middlebury with a degree in Environmental Studies and a focus on writing and policy, Kira interned in Aspen Skiing Company’s Environmental Department, tutored at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, and then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to teach kayaking at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

Kayaking is absolutely imperative to Kira’s every day life, and she has enjoyed paddling rivers in the US, Canada, and Chile.  Kira has also written for Kayak Session and Sun Valley Magazine, and very much enjoys incorporating her zealousness for writing, kayaking, travel, and laughter into her teaching.  She’s extremely excited to teach AP Literature and Composition, World Literature, British Literature, and American Literature for New River Academy!

 

Darlene Norosky

Darlene Norosky grew up in both Oak Hill, WV and Darlington, SC. She received a Regents B. A. degree from Concord University in Athens, WV with an emphasis in education, history, art and geography. Darlene has a passion for traveling and a knack for organization, communication and planning. Alongside working with New River Academy, she is the owner of a most unique establishment, Swirl; a sweet shop offering toys, candy and ice cream located in downtown Fayetteville,WV.

 

Darlene has also developed her skills as a potter over the past sixteen years. She‘s taught classes to students of all ages, and presently works out of a studio of her own. She believes all children are inherently able to learn anything when submerged in a one on one or hands on experience. Having two children, and experience in the education field, she understands the importance of adequate communication of all aspects of academics as well as the benefits of cultural maturity. Her daughter Alexis is currently a high school junior and son Jackson attends first grade.