Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through more than 20,000 schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of
communities affected by natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and Maria. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs.

Two of these AmeriCorps members volunteer at Rockland-based Trekkers, a youth development nonprofit that offers programming to middle and high school students. They serve as part of an important response to the mental health challenges the community has seen in recent years. In 2019, the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey reported that 29% of high school students and 25% of middle school students in Knox County reported feeling sad or hopeless for two weeks or more. It also reports 18% of high school students and 21% of middle school students reported seriously considering suicide. (See source below.)

The Trekkers 6-year program has seen positive results with students. Last year, 90% of Trekkers students reported an increase in optimism. 93% reported a higher interest in learning and 92% reported improved relationships with adults. 100% of Trekkers students graduated high school in 2019. Students receive mentorship and also experiential learning in areas like wilderness exploration, environmental education, community service, adventure and cultural awareness. That means a day in the life of a Trekkers’ AmeriCorps volunteer can vary widely. One day they serve as mentors, helping students build social-emotional skills. The next they are reaching out to and training volunteers. In between, they are finding lodging for student expeditions across the country.

Foster, just two months in, can see impact made on students but also in her own life. She says she “has already seen the immense value that Trekkers has to all students, staff, and volunteers involved.” Returning from the 11th grade College and Career Expedition in February, Foster says she “found so much fulfillment in developing relationships with all of the wonderful and unique students involved and learned just as much from them as they probably did from her, if not more.”

Leparulo joined as an alumnus of Trekkers, after experiencing the benefits as a student from St. George. He says he “grew a lot as a student, but is growing just as much as a volunteer. [It’s] helped me be more in tune with what students are anxious about, see things going on in their lives.” Leparulo pointed to the “impact of being away from technology, not that it’s a bad thing, but I’ve seen how it’s good for students to take a break. Trekkers offers a present-minded experience, [a time] to be with peers and adults that care about them – it’s all about celebrating the student.”

March 8 – 14 is AmeriCorps week, in recognition of those who commit to doing national service. Trekkers will be sharing the service stories from Foster and Leparulo throughout the week, showcasing the impact of the work they do at Trekkers on their social media channels, Facebook @trekkersonline and Instagram @trekkersinc.

Sources: Knox County 2019 MIHYS High School Report, Knox County 2019 MIHYS Middle School Report. Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, 2019. Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Department of Education. link. Permission to use the Holistic Student Assessment (HSA) was obtained from The PEAR Institute at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital.

About AmeriCorps:

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

About Trekkers:
For 25 years, Trekkers has been cultivating the inherent strengths of young people through the power of long-term mentoring relationships. Trekkers utilizes outdoor, experiential, and expeditionary education as a means of
strengthening resiliency, raising aspirations, defining post-secondary goals, and increasing connections between young people and their communities. Founded in 1994, Trekkers now serves over 200 seventh through-twelfth- grade students from the Midcoast communities of Owls Head, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Rockland, Cushing and St. George. Recognizing that youth throughout Maine and beyond would benefit from the Trekkers model, the Trekkers Training Institute was founded in 2016 to provide training in Trekkers Youth Development Principles to youth development professionals and educators. Trekkers model program is now being implemented in eight communities in Maine and beyond.