Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS TREKKERS’ MISSION?

Trekkers is a non-profit, outdoor-based mentoring program aimed at connecting caring adults with young people through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure-based education. With community adult volunteers working throughout the year, Trekkers provides a myriad of educational, experiential, and cross-cultural opportunities for young people, with an emphasis on relationship building and an appreciation of the earth as "educator".

WHAT IS TREKKERS’ GOAL?

Trekkers' goal is to bridge the gap between young people and the community where they grow up. By surrounding them with caring adults, Trekkers seeks to be a part of students' lives from grade to grade and year to year.  Trekkers follows students as they "graduate" from one Trekkers program into the next along a six-year journey that starts when they enter 7th grade and continues until they graduate.

WHEN WAS TREKKERS STARTED AND WHO DOES IT SERVE?

Trekkers began in 1994 as a volunteer community initiative for students attending SAD #50’s Thomaston Grammar School.  In 1996, students from St. George School were included.  During the first five years, Trekkers primarily worked with 7th and 8th grade students.  With the expansion of a year-round program implemented in 1999, Trekkers now offers programs to 7th to 12th grade students living in Thomaston, Cushing and St. George. 

HOW MANY STUDENTS DOES TREKKERS SERVE?

Trekkers serves over 160 students annually.     

WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMS DOES TREKKERS OFFER?

Please visit our program page to learn more about Trekkers'specific programs and expeditions.

HOW MANY EXPEDITIONS DOES TREKKERS PROVIDE IN ONE YEAR?

In a normal program year, Trekkers offers 8 different expeditions.

WHO IS BESSIE?

At the heart of every Trekkers expedition is our beloved bus, "Bessie." She is our classroom, our mascot, and our passport to new horizons. Without her, we would literally be going nowhere. To learn more about the Trekkers bus, please visit our bus page.

WHO FUNDS TREKKERS?

Trekkers is supported financially through contributions from individuals, local businesses and churches, private foundations, and corporations.  All Trekkers expeditions/programs require assistance from students and their families in fundraising activities, as well as providing student fees.

WHO RUNS THE TREKKERS ORGANIZATION?

Volunteers
Approximately forty-five adult and student leaders from in and around the communities of St. George, Cushing and Thomaston volunteer with Trekkers throughout the year.  They help facilitate outdoor and educational experiences, spend time one on one with students and provide much needed technical support to the program.  The success of the Trekkers program is dependent in part upon a very high adult-to-youth ratio in all the programs Trekkers offers.  Caring adult and peer mentors are essential to our efforts in bringing forth positive change within the lives of young people.  If you would like to volunteer please check out the many volunteer opportunities that we offer by clicking here!

Board of Directors

TomArmitage                                                                           Jack Carpenter
Bryson Cowan - Student at GVHS
Jenifer Mumford
Jan Letourneau - President
Lilli Martin
Frank Magrogan
Bethany Yovino - Secretary
Luke Martin - Student at GVHS
Phil Anderson - Treasurer
Trina Ames

Administrative Staff
Don Carpenter – Executive Director, is a resident of Tenants Harbor and has his Masters in Environmental Education from Lesley College and The Audubon Expedition Institute. Don is a registered Maine Guide.

HOW DO I MAKE A DONATION?

There are two simple ways to make a tax-deductible donation to Trekkers:

• Online via Paypal
• Send a check made out to Trekkers to P.O. Box 455, Tenants Harbor ME 04860

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE TREKKERS PROGRAM?

Every year, Trekkers has 20 openings for seventh graders.  All seventh graders are invited to attend an informational student/parent or guardian meeting at the beginning of each new year.  If after learning about the Trekkers program a student is interested in participating, he or she will be required to submit an application by a certain date to become eligible.   

WHAT IF YOU HAVE MORE STUDENTS THEN YOU HAVE SPOTS FOR?

If after receiving all the applications there are more students interested than can participate, Trekkers will implement a lottery system to select the students. In setting up the process for the lottery selection, Trekkers will first seek a gender balance of students from Thomaston Grammar and St. George Schools and then if possible, a town balance. The content of a student’s application will not determine his or her eligibility.

WHAT IF MY NAME IS NOT SELECTED FROM THE LOTTERY?

If a lottery system for the selection of students is required, those students not selected will be put on a waiting list.

WHAT IF YOU RECEIVE MY APPLICATION AFTER THE DEADLINE?

If a student gets the application in after the deadline (all applications will need to be postmarked by the posted cut-off date), he or she will not be eligible for the lottery but will be put on the waiting list.

WHAT IF A STUDENT CANNOT MAKE THE INFORMATIONAL MEETING?

If a student cannot make the informational meeting, he or she may call and request an application.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE BEEN SELECTED?

All students will be notified by mail shortly after the deadline about the outcome of the selection process.

IS THERE A FEE REQUIRED TO BE A TREKKER?

There is no student membership fee required to be involved with Trekkers.  For each expedition there are students fees associated with the actual cost of the trip, however due to extensive fundraising by each class and the availability of scholarship assistance for eligible students, no student is ever turned away due to financial reasons.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE FOR AN EXPEDITION?

Please visit our Applications page to download and print a copy of the Scholarship Assistance Application. Once Trekkers has received your application, we will notify you of the amount awarded if you meet eligibility requirements.

WHAT IS TREKKERS DISCRIMINATION POLICY?

Trekkers, Inc does not discriminate based on familial status, race, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, or religion. However, Trekkers seeks a gender balance when planning its educational programs. Some gender specific activities may be offered from time to time based on benefits to the community and/or when deemed beneficial and/or necessary by the Executive Director or Board Members.

ARE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE 7th GRADE PROGRAM ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN FUTURE TREKKERS PROGRAMS?

Eligible students who complete the Teen Trekkers program in 7th grade will be invited to participate in every program offered to their Trekkers class for their remaining years in middle school and high school as long as they are enrolled in MSAD #50.  If after offering the next program to Trekker students there are more than four slots available, Trekkers will refer to the students who are on the waiting list for that particular grade.  If after offering it to all the students on the waiting list there are still slots available, Trekkers will open it up to non-Trekkers on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

Please note:  Excluding the 7^th grade program, the waiting list will only be activated if the number of participants for a particular program drops below 17 students or a student from the original 20 taken in 7^th grade moves out of the three towns served by School District #50.  Once the number of participants drops below 17, Trekkers will invite the next male or female from the waiting list from that particular school and group. If a student moves out of the three towns served by SAD #50, they forfeit their spot in Trekkers and the next male or female from the waiting list from that particular school will be invited in a timely fashion.  In addition, the waiting list will only be activated if the Executive Director determines there’s enough time left in the planning process before the expedition takes place. 

WHAT IF I WANT TO BE A TREKKER AND I’M OLDER THAN 7TH GRADE?

If you are interested in joining Trekkers after your 7th grade year, you can go to our “Applications” page to download our “Waiting List” application.  Once we have received your application you will be placed on the waiting list in the order that it was received.  If after offering a particular program to Trekker students there are still slots available, Trekkers will refer to the students who are on the waiting list for that particular grade. 

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

Trekkers has a variety of volunteer opportunities available for both adults and students alike. Please visit our Volunteer Opportunities  page for more details or go to our Contact page to send us an email.

WHERE CAN I FIND APPLICATIONS & FORMS?

Please visit our Applications page to download volunteer and student applications, waivers, etc.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE DAILY LOGS FROM PAST EXPEDITIONS?

You can find links to past expeditions our Trip Archives.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE DATES FOR UPCOMING EXPEDITIONS AND EVENTS?

Check out the Trekkers Calendar for the latest expedition and event schedules.

WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT TREKKERS?

Please visit our Testimonials page to hear what students, parents, volunteers and other community members say about Trekkers.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TREKKERS?

If you have any questions or want to learn more, please visit our Contact page to send us an email.