Teens To Trails (T3) is working to engage Maine teens in the outdoors through their promotion of & support for teen Outing Clubs across the State. A new T3 initiative called "College Outdoor Mentors for Maine Teens" is based on the recognition that college students make wonderful mentors for teenagers!

Young adults who are passionate about the outdoors are powerful tools for enlightening these younger students to the wonders of nature. The Quimby Family Foundation's support of this project has allowed T3 to hire an Outreach Coordinator to lead a number of pilot projects to explore ways to connect college campuses with the high school Outing Clubs in their area.

“With this help from the Quimby Family Foundation,” Founder of T3 Carol Leone said, “we will be able to explore different mentoring scenarios and develop a model that will sustain these high school-college relationships over time.”

At a meeting organized by Teens To Trails last December, representatives from various campuses formed the Maine College Coalition of Outdoor Mentors and established the first demonstration projects. Bowdoin Outing Club members are accompanying the Brunswick High School Outing Club on outings. UMaine Machias worked with Machias Memorial High School to organize an ice fishing trip. Washington County Community College has helped an Outing Club get off the ground at Calais High School.

UMaine Presque Isle is reaching out to help the new Ashland High School Outing Club. Student members of Colby's Outing Club and St. Joe's Outdoor Adventure Club have both expressed enthusiasm in joining the effort to get more Maine teens outside.

A second meeting of the Maine College Coalition of Outdoor Mentors is scheduled for December 7 at Bowdoin's Outing Club facility in Brunswick and the group invites every campus to participate. If you are interested in attending this meeting or getting involved in the project, either as a college mentor or as a high school Outing Club demonstration project, contact Jane Koopman, T3's Outreach Coordinator. Call 207-882-9613 or email info@teenstotrails.org for more information.