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made possible by a partnership between Teens To Trails & The Chewonki Foundation
"I
was awarded the Sara Leone Scholarship this past spring and it changed
my life. I attended the Chewonki Girls Session I, Penobscot White Water
Kayaking Expedition in June. I feel like I came back from camp a
different girl than when I went. It taught me that I could push myself
a lot farther than I ever could have imagined ... that I could survive
and thrive on my own. I would like to say, hands down,
that this trip was the best thing that has EVER happened to me! I will
never forget it. It has changed my life."
~ Becca Slack, 2009 Scholarship Recipient
READ all of Becca's note - READ news article
Meet our 2010 Scholarship Recipients...
Wiscasset High School Sophomores
James Andretta & Abigail Foster
Read the Announcement
(February 8th photo from left to
right: Ryan Linehan, Chewonki's Summer Wilderness Programs Director;
Carol Leone, Teens To Trails; James Andretta; Abigail Foster; Genell
Vashro, Chewonki's Girls Camp Director; Ralph Keyes, Wiscasset High
School Outing Club Advisor - see photos on Fickr)
We are pleased to offer Sara's Scholarship ~ Engaging Teens in the Outdoors. Each year, Sara's Scholarship will send two Maine high school sophomores - one young woman and one young man - on a 3-week summer wilderness adventure. This opportunity is made possible by a partnership between Teens To Trails and The Chewonki Foundation. This
wilderness experience will be an extraordinary adventure
in self-discovery, opening a whole new world to two teens - an
opportunity they would not otherwise be able to afford. We know
these
experiences can change a life. It is also our intent that this
Scholarship will spark student interest in the outdoors & Outing Club participation, and encourage the growth
of Outing Clubs across the State. DESCRIPTION & APPLICATION
a
Sara was in love with the world. Her
strong connection with the out-of-doors played an important role in the person she
had become. That is where her natural curiosity and love of
learning first took root. Self-confidence grew from her many
outdoor experiences along with a
self-awareness beyond her years. The thoughtful way she explored
the natural world became the manner in which she lead her life - with
passion and compassion. Nature was a part of Sara, just as Sara
is forever a part of those who knew her.
In 2005, Sara's family & friends established a Scholarship
in her memory hosted by her own Wiscasset High School. Along with
college pursuits, the Scholarship encouraged Sara's spirit of
individuality. For three years, in June 2006, 2007 & 2008,
the Scholarship was awarded to a college-bound graduating senior girl
chosen by a committee of Sara's coaches and teachers. Three
wonderful young women were recipients of these first Sara Leone
Scholarship Awards: Kate Riser, Mckenzie Smith and Foxfire Buck.
During that same time, Teens To Trails
was born, dedicated to engaging Maine teens in the outdoors. This
initiative, too, was inspired by Sara along with the Wiscasset Outing
Club that makes outdoor opportunities accessible to all its students. Following the
graduation of Sara's own high school Class of 2008, we were able to
bring Sara's Scholarship Fund under the umbrella of Teens To Trails, allowing for tax deductible contributions and this exciting new focus. LEARN HOW to APPLY
The Chewonki Foundation, Camp Chewonki for Girls & Co-Ed Wilderness Trips
~ fostering an appreciation for the natural world and for working in community with others
The Chewonki Foundation
is well respected for its leadership in education and
conservation. They trace their roots on Chewonki Neck to the
beginning of the 20th century, when their summer camp for boys opened
on the shores of Montsweag Bay. Nearly a century later, Chewonki
continues to maintain its traditional boys camp along with a broad
array of environmental education programs, traveling natural history
programs, wilderness trips & workshops for adults, families, and
groups, and a residential academic program for high-school juniors
called Maine Coast Semester. The campus itself has become a model
for sustainable management of natural resources.
In 2008, after nearly a decade-long search, the Chewonki Foundation opened Camp Chewonki for Girls on Fourth Debsconeag Lake in the heart of Maine’s North Woods. The Camp
offers a variety of unique opportunities for young women to
explore the natural world in a challenging, fun, and nurturing
environment. By camping and traveling in small groups, young
women experience many rich dimensions of wilderness living while
gaining self-confidence, cultivating relationships with their peers and
leaders, learning a wide variety of skills, and deepening their
knowledge of the wild places. Chewonki
also offers co-ed wilderness adventures where teens make great new
friends, learn advanced outdoor skills, and travel through some of the
most awesome beauty in the northeast. Chewonki's leaders support each
participant in discovering her/his inborn capacity for courage, compassion,
insight, and perseverance, allowing each teen to return home with
heightened self-awareness, expanded horizons, and a renewed sense of
wonder.
Chewonki is a
recognized leader in what they offer young people and the results they
achieve in creating lifetime stewards of the natural world. Teens To Trails is proud to be associated with this innovative, caring group.