What is an Outdoor Club?
We help Maine middle and high schools start and sustain an Outdoor Club. Clubs offer fun ways for students to be active outside, together. Have you risen at 5:00 am to hike with 50 other teens to watch the sunrise over the ocean? We can get you there.
Student-led and faculty-facilitated, Outdoor Clubs introduce teenagers to a variety of experiences, such as hiking, biking, camping, rafting, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, campfires, and beach trips. The goal is to try new things, see new places, and make new connections.
These adventures enable students to discover the natural world while they learn about themselves and build relationships with peers. Through participating in an Outdoor Club, teens gain a sense of independence and self-reliance that will follow them through life. Outdoor Clubs welcome all students and help them find their place of comfort, enjoyment and belonging in the outdoors.
“Our outdoor club helped me break out of my shell a little bit.. it made me realize just how important it is to get out there.” - Emily, Mt. Abram Regional High School Graduate
Outdoor Clubs provide access to the outdoors to students, regardless of prior experience, gear, or financial need.
If you’re a student, educator, administrator, or parent of a Maine middle or high school student, starting a club is easy. When you register with Teens to Trails, we’ll guide you toward your first adventure.
Increasing Access to the Outdoors for all Maine Teens
Teens to Trails addresses critical issues of public health in Maine’s teenage population by increasing engagement with the outdoors, resulting in stronger social connections, better mental health, more opportunities for physical activity, and a sense of purpose and mattering. All teens should experience the joy of spending time outdoors. We promote outdoor play by helping middle and high schools, as well as community organizations, create Outdoor Clubs, which provide inclusive, non-performance based outdoor experiences that break down social barriers and build lifelong habits of wellness.
Teens to Trails helps increase access to the outdoors by offering annual grants to middle and high school Outdoor Clubs to fund transportation, guides, or other needs to get students outside. We provide thoughtfully-designed resources to promote diversity and inclusion outdoors and address the five core social and emotional learning competencies that students need to get along well with peers and adults: self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.