Trekkers’ eighth grade Team Everest completed a three-day “Trektoberfest” expedition in early October to kick off their Advanced Trekkers program. The focus of this local, short-term expedition was to provide an outdoor-based team building experience for the students and mentors. The Trektoberfest experience incorporated community service projects, team initiatives, and the chance to practice consensus-based decision-making skills.

Led by Program Manager Hannah Tannebring, the group of 10 students and eight leaders left on the Trekkers bus on October 7. They headed to Bremen Landing, a satellite campus of Camp Kieve, which served as their home base for the two-night expedition. While setting up camp, they had meaningful discussions about the importance of community service and their roles in the challenges that the surrounding communities are facing. The group then assisted in a Habitat for Humanity community service project in Rockland, participating in a house build project there. The students took part in many construction tasks, such as drywalling, framing, measuring and cutting stairs to size, and the installation of stairs. 

Team Everest spent some time at Camp Wavus and completed a series of low ropes course initiatives there. On the third day of their expedition, they traveled to Merryspring Nature Center in Camden to learn about their environmental and conservation efforts. The students assisted in putting gardens to bed and helped with trail maintenance on the grounds. The team’s final activities during this Short Trek included spending time bowling at Oakland Park Bowling Lanes, playing games, and making their first consensus decision together.

Having completed their first Short Trek expedition, Trekkers’ Team Everest will be better prepared for their 10-day educational expedition, which will take place next summer. The consensus-based decision-making process that the group practiced will be used throughout the school year in upcoming planning meetings. During those meetings, the group will collectively determine how they will include five educational components in their summer expedition: community service, wilderness experience, cultural awareness, environmental stewardship and adventure-based education. Team Everest is one of two Advanced Trekkers groups of 8th graders.  The second group of 8th-grade students, Team K2, completed a similar weekend expedition in mid-October.

Trekkers is a non-profit outdoor-based mentoring program that connects young people with caring adults through expeditionary learning, community service, and adventure-based education. Trekkers serve the communities of Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston, St. George and Thomaston. This year, Trekkers will serve more than 200 students from grades 7-12 in Midcoast Maine.

For more information about Trekkers, please contact the office at (207) 594-5095 or visit trekkers.org.