Ashland District School Outing Club
receives Teens To Trails funds
ASHLAND, Maine — The Ashland District School Outing Club recently received a $500 grant from Teens To Trails (T3), a Brunswick-based non-profit, all-volunteer organization engaging Maine teens in the outdoors.
“High school outing clubs are the most effective way we have found for engaging teens in their natural world, with the potential to make fun, safe, outdoor experiences accessible to every Maine student,” said Carol Leone, T3 founder.
Sixteen high schools from across the state — including Ashland — were awarded support funds totaling almost $7,000 to help more teens get active outside. These grants were made possible by ongoing support from L.L. Bean and individual donors.
According to Megan Stanley, adviser of the Ashland District School Outing Club, this is the second time the school has been awarded a T3 grant.
“The money is used to pay fees for students who are unable to pay,” she said. “We also use the money to pay rental fees for equipment, and to purchase supplies.
“Receiving the grant means we are able to include more students without worrying about how to pay for those who do not have the resources,” said Stanley. “We have had many staff and community members volunteer and contribute funds to help our students who would otherwise be unable to participate, and this grant helps alleviate that need.”
Stanley explained that students don’t have to “join” the club, but rather all activities are open to high school students. Some are open to middle school students, as well.
“Students are able to pick and choose what activities they participate in, and we usually have between 10-30 per activity,” she said. “We do a lot of skiing and snowboarding thanks to Bigrock. We’ve also done some hiking in the area and a few paddling trips down the Aroostook.”
Stanley has been the club’s adviser since its inception three years ago.
“The current version of the outing club began through a collaboration between administration and teachers who recognized the need for a program for students who didn’t necessarily participate in athletics, band, or musicals,” she said, noting that she gets “a lot of help and support from administration and other teachers.”
To date, T3 has awarded 93 grants in support of Maine high school outing club programs.
With increasing research confirming that positive outdoor experiences are critical to the overall health and well being of young people, Leone said outing clubs need to be encouraged and supported.
“It is our goal to establish an outing club in every one of Maine’s high schools thereby promoting fun, outdoor adventures, healthy lifestyles and environmental stewardship,” she said. “The Grants-to-Clubs program helps outing clubs get started and stay active.”
For more information, visit www.TeensToTrails.org.
