Congratulations to our graduating class of 2016, soon to be the class of 2020! We are always impressed—but never surprised—at the remarkable colleges Adventure Treks students will soon be attending. Below is the list of the colleges our students have chosen.

We feel privileged and grateful to have been a topic of many of your college essays. We know that navigating through the college “sorting hat” has been difficult, and we want to applaud every one of you for all the hard work you have put into your successful high school careers.

We’re so happy that our students have chosen schools that are a good fit for their personalities, abilities, and interests. We’d like to emphasize that what you will take away from your college experience has little to do with the prestige or rank of a given college, and everything to do with the mindset and attitude with which you approach your collegiate career. Success in college is about the effort poured into the experience, your desire to fuel your passions, the relationships formed with new friends and faculty, and your ability to thrive in new and sometimes ambiguous situations.

At a time when only 58 percent of students at four-year colleges graduate within six years and with more than a doubling over the past 10 years of freshman who need some kind of psychological counseling during their first year at school, we’re proud that the graduation rate of Adventure Treks students remains consistent at 98 percent! We believe the resilience, social confidence, collaboration, and community mindset skills you’ve strengthened through your Adventure Treks experiences will help you thrive in college (and the world beyond) and avoid the bumps so many students face.

Having talked to dozens of our graduates currently in college, here are some examples of how the Adventure Treks experience helped them prepare for college life:

“AT did a phenomenal job preparing me for the transition to college. I had the ability to adapt to new and changing situations. I knew how to meet friends and how to work with different kinds of people. I have seen many of my friends struggle with the transition, but it’s been easy for me.” — Christopher, University of Richmond

“AT made me more comfortable in my skin; when I got to college, I didn’t have to try to be anybody but myself. It was refreshing and empowering.” — Max, Stanford University

“At AT, you learn how to help out and look out for others, how to thrive when things aren’t easy, and how to see a bigger picture beyond yourself. AT gave me the confidence to lead a school organization my freshman year, and it means I am always the one doing more than my share in project groups.” — Jake, University of Nevada, Reno

Here’s where many of our 2016 students have landed:
1. Elena Press, Stanford University
2. Mike Schaja, Georgia Institute of Technology
3. Teresa Heise, Purdue University
4. Allie Klass,  Appalachian State University
5. Laura Gaines, North Carolina State University
6. Adam Hirsch, Bates College
7. Ally Russell, Kenyon College
8. Lexi Russell, University of Richmond
9. Lucy Kates, Georgia Institute of Technology
10. Ethan Sigman, Gettysburg College
11. Griffin Gildersteen, University of Vermont or Holy Cross University
12. Jarrod Gerstein, Hamilton College
13. Justin Burman, University of Colorado, Boulder
14. Carolyn Brager, University of Washington
15. Sammy Baum, Bucknell University
16. Sarah Griffiths, Vanderbilt University
17. Jared Cloutier, Grinnell College
18. Logan Schenkel, Widener University School of Engineering
19. Timmy Michael, Stanford University
20. Hunter Simpson, University of Vermont
21. Evan Douglas, University of Wisconsin, Madison
22. Sam Lincoln, Arizona State University – Barrett Honors College
23. Benjamin Shulman, Lewis and Clark College after a gap year with NOLS
24. Anna Berger, Washington and Lee University
25. Alex Uys, Deep Springs College
26. Jeremy Uys, American University or Bowdoin College
27. Colin Finnie, Queens University
28. Hunter James, University of Alabama – Rowing Scholarship
29. Ryan Katchiss, Indiana University
30. Risa Anczelowicz, Roger Williams University
31. Josh Haley, University of Cincinnati
32. Gabriela Garrido, Hult International Business School of London
33. Andrew Burns, Sonoma State University, School of Journalism
34. Tali Abkowitz,  California State College, Chico, School of Nursing
35. Lily Brice, Bucknell University
36. Pia Von Strasser, University of California -Santa Barbara
37. Aidan Birnbaum, University of Michigan
38. Morgan Keely, McGill University
39. Leah Pensler, Scripps College, UCLA, Emory University, or Wesleyan University
40. Sierra Weavil, University of North Carolina – Charlotte
41. Jarred Copley, Driver Institute of Technology: Underwater Welding
42. Mark Heiphetz, University of Idaho
43. Emma Pickard, Rhodes College
44. Olivia West, University of California, Davis
45. Sarah Crucilla, California Institute of Technology                                                                                                                 46. Jack Lane, Tulane University                                                                                                                                                    47. Mary Virginia Shook, gap year figure skating for “Disney on Ice” then University of Michigan                                  48. Hannah Call, College of William & Mary

2016 graduates: If we missed you, please tell us where you are heading so we can add you to this list and put you in touch with Adventure Treks students already at your new school!

Congratulations, Dock, D-Mac and the whole AT Team

My kids Sarah and Thomas spent six summers each flying to Adventure Treks. It can be nerve-racking to drop your child off at the airport, but one thing I have learned is 1) they can do it and 2) it makes them (and you!) feel great to know they can handle themselves. Here are a few tips that might help you stay relaxed until you receive the “Hi mom/dad, I am with Adventure Treks!” phone call.

First, be prepared. If you’ll be flying as a family on any trips before Adventure Treks, let your child take the lead, figuring out the flight monitors and finding the gate. This boosts confidence in navigating terminals while still having the support of parents nearby. You can also print out and go over the layout of the airport your student will be arriving in; this is especially helpful if there’s a layover, and if the connecting airport has trains running to and from terminals, like Atlanta or Denver.

It’s crucial to keep your child’s cell phone and charger easily accessible and in the carry-on bag. Remind them that not only will you be available should they need to call you, but they can always call the Adventure Treks office as well (and kids do call us on airport day!). Also, we highly recommend providing spending money for food or a book in case of delays or cancellations.

Second, rehearse asking for help with your child. I make my kids practice saying, “Excuse me, I am flying by myself,” at the beginning of any conversation with airline staff. As a parent, when you hear those words, it changes the way you listen and engage with teenagers. I also tell my kids to look for another mom traveling with her children when they need help and have trouble finding airline staff. Moms always stop and take the time to help your child get to where he or she needs to be.

Third, request a gate pass when you drop your student off at security. (This is different from purchasing the extra unaccompanied minor service, and is free.) A gate pass allows you to walk to the gate with your child and watch the plane depart. Getting a gate pass depends entirely on the security staff working that morning, but I’ve never been denied the privilege, and we’ve flown multiple airlines. Remember, you will go through security as well, so keep it simple: I bring just my car keys, ID, and a credit card.

Here’s the million-dollar question: What do you do when a flight is delayed or canceled? First, take a breath! It will be OK.

One year, my daughter’s itinerary to Anchorage, AK, was Asheville > Charlotte > Chicago > Anchorage. After arriving in Charlotte, Sarah found out her next leg to Chicago was canceled (the first time that has happened to us in a total of 30+ Adventure Treks flight segments). She stood in multiple lines and talked to several airline staff, but the information she received from staff and what I found online back in Asheville was conflicting. Sarah and I were in constant contact, and she did a great job at finding the right airport staff to clarify what was happening with her flight. Still, she really got the run around for a while, and we both started to get a bit unraveled—it was nearing midnight, and the airport was virtually shutting down. Being that my daughter had just turned 16, she could not get a voucher for a hotel.

I did learn that many airports have an unaccompanied minor lounge. Even if you have not paid the UM fee, your child can still access the lounge and sleep, watch movies, and eat until their rescheduled flight boards.

I called our marketing director, Amanda, who was our on-call Adventure Treks emergency after-hours contact that evening (even though I do this very job myself). It helped just to hear her calming voice and be reassured that she was also trying to sort things out, just as I was doing for my daughter. Rest assured, you and your child will always be able to speak with our staff, at any time, on airport arrival and departure days.

After a long evening, Sarah boarded her new flight and made her connection to Anchorage. The airlines had lost her luggage, but she had her carry-on backpack to get her by, and our director, Dave (aka Dmac, as students call him), was standing by to greet her as she landed. He figured out her luggage dilemma and quickly connected her with the rest of the group.

Once she was on the ground in Alaska, and we had a chance to talk, it was clear that she felt pretty good about figuring it all out. Yes, she was tired, and yes, it was inconvenient—to say the least—but she did it by herself, and she never felt unsafe. In hindsight, I’m glad she had this experience. It was an opportunity to learn resilience and think on her feet. (And it added a little excitement to an already-extremely-high point in her life!) As a parent, I was so appreciative of Amanda and Dmac that day; although they would say they were just doing their job, it was how they did it.

The best thing we can do as parents is prepare our kids and remind them that they can figure out these logistics and overcome any hurdles that come their way. And not only can they do it, but they are better for it. Chances are that everything will go just as planned. Direct, early-morning flights are recommended. Should a flight get delayed or cancelled, no matter what time your child arrives, we will be there to greet him or her—even if it is 3 a.m.! So take a deep breath and know your child can do it—and you can too!

By Kate Brown, logistics coordinator and trip leader

Planning a meal for a backpacking trip can be intimidating. When you type “backpacking meals” into Google, the hundreds of images of pre-packaged meal kits or Ziploc bags filled with different kinds of trail mix is overwhelming. While meal kits work for some people, there are countless food options out there. Most great backpacking recipes are similar to the ones you cook at home, with ingredients that can be bought at your local grocery store. Students on Adventure Treks trips buy food at grocery stores and cook meals that they recognize and enjoy. While it’s perfectly fine to go the pre-packaged meal or go the all-trail-mix route, here are a few other easy and tasty suggestions. (All of the meals listed below have been used on Adventure Treks trips!) Here are three simple tips for planning delicious and cost-effective meals for backpacking.

1. Cooking Time: Quick vs. Long

Quick

It’s important to figure out how much time you want to dedicate to meals when you are backpacking. Are you pushing for higher mileage and want a meal that cooks quickly to fill your starving belly when you get to camp? Sometimes the quick option is the best option, allowing for more sleep or hiking time. For quick meals that are still tasty, look for one-pot recipes where you don’t have to cut up a lot of ingredients or use multiple pots/pans. Meal preparation on a backpacking trip takes longer than in your kitchen. Also, fewer ingredients to chop or open means less mess to clean up. Pesto pasta is a great backpacking meal that you can really amp up!

Recipe: Pesto Pasta

• Pasta (white, wheat, or gluten-free)
• Pesto mix packet (often found in the soup or salad dressing aisle)
• Olive oil (a little Tupperware container works great for the whole trip)
• Parmesan cheese
• Pre-cooked packaged chicken
• Pine nuts or walnuts
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Spinach
• Canned peas
• Fresh basil
• Spices

Not-as-quick

Are you more excited to hang out at camp for a while and put in a little extra effort for a mouth-watering meal? For more extravagant meals, you can cook individual dinners to personalize each plate to each person’s palate. When planning a more intensive meal, it’s still important to keep in mind how long your ingredients will last in your environment and ways to speed up the process during preparation. A well-cooked meal with a gorgeous setting in the background can be the highlight of the trip.Think personalized quesadillas, maybe even with a little Thai twist!

Recipe: Thai Fusion Quesadillas

• Tortillas (white, wheat, or gluten-free)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Thai sauce (a small bottle; there are gluten-free options)
• Pre-cooked packaged chicken or vegetarian substitute
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Peppers
• Onions
• Olive oil, butter, or cooking spray
• Spices

---

 

2. Ultralight vs. heavier
   

Ultralight

Everything with backpacking involves balance, including what you put in your backpack. An old instructor of mine used to say, “Packing a pack is an art, not a science,” and that’s definitely true when it comes to food. If you’d rather have a light pack and light gear, it makes sense that your food doesn’t weigh much, either. Meals can be tasty and light at the same time if you take a few things into consideration when planning. Avoid cans and unnecessary packaging. If a meal includes beans and rice, buy bean and rice combos, found in the soup/rice aisle, and put them in a Ziploc bag with the directions cut out (Zatarain’s is one of my favorite brands). Doing so will cut down your food weight compared to buying canned beans or rice in a bag, and you still get the same ingredients! Below is a burrito recipe that is tasty and lightweight.

Recipe: Burrito

• Tortillas (white, wheat, or gluten-free)
• Rice & bean combo
• Taco seasoning
• Avocado
• Block cheese (the extra can be used for lunches or other meals)
• Peppers
• Cilantro (cut the stems off beforehand to prevent trash)
• Spices

Not as light

There are lots of reasons to avoid the ultra-lightweight route: You aren’t going for super-high mileage, you decide to bring a little heavier food but a smaller toiletry bag, you have a larger group and can disperse the weight more, etc. As long as you aren’t packing in tons of cans, potatoes, or other heavy food, the weight of food is manageable. Plus, each day your pack gets lighter! You’ve been working hard backpacking all day, so treat yourself. Fellow foodies know that a good meal in the outdoors makes a world of difference. Check out the curry recipe below.

Recipe: Chicken Curry

• Minute rice
• Canned peas
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Peppers
• Kale (eat it on the first night)
• Coconut milk
• Curry powder
• Cumin powder
• Crunchy peanut butter
• Pre-cooked packaged chicken (extra peanuts for vegetarian option)
• Spices

---

 

3. Spices!

It’s hard to imagine making a meal in your kitchen at home without spices. You can still have that luxury on a backpacking trip. Salt, pepper, oregano, cumin… These will make any backpacking meal just a little bit better! To save on space, carry a small amount of each spice instead of the entire container, and be sure to label them. Pill zippies found in the pharmacy section are a great way to store a little bit of spice. Small cosmetic containers, often found in the travel section of the pharmacy, also work well. If you love Tic Tacs, buy a few and use the containers. Here is a sample spice list for a backpacking trip.

Backpacking Spice Kit

• Salt
• Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Garlic powder or garlic cloves
• Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
• Curry powder
• Oil, butter, or cooking spray (these items are often forgot but extremely necessary for most meals)

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to capture a fantastic shot. What’s more, you don’t even have to have a fancy or expensive camera. Today’s point and shoot cameras come equipped with systems that rival more expensive options (think digital SLRs), so you’ve got what you need to create a beautiful photograph. The next time you head out on an adventure, just keep these tips in mind and you’ll be creating magazine-worthy images before you know it.

The rule of thirds

It all begins with composition—how you set up the shot can mean the difference between a blah picture and a great photograph. Think of your camera’s screen like a grid, split up into 3 sections vertically and 3 sections horizontally (pictured; some cameras even have a menu setting that displays a grid on the screen). Avoid putting the subject, or the horizon line if shooting the ocean or clouds, in the very middle of that grid. Instead, shift it a little to the left or right, or to the top or bottom, or a combination of those. In the example pictured, the shot was composed with the tree in the upper right portion of the photo and the waterfall splitting the difference.

Perspective

Another important concept to remember is the angle at which you’re taking the photograph. Photographing a scene straight-on can sometimes have a flattening effect, meaning it takes away the depth of field, making the subject look 2-D instead of 3-D. For instance, in the example pictured, the photo was taken from the banks of the creek, with the photographer kneeling on the ground. This way, the water travels from the top right corner to the lower left corner of the image and you can see the change in elevation between the water and the snowdrift. The image has more realistic depth (it also avoided a hypothermia-inducing walk in the frigid water—safety first!).

Drama

Always think about what will make the photograph look interesting and different. Below, in the image to the left, there’s a pretty contrast between the snow and the creek. But it’s just an average picture… until the wind picked up. Try to include an element of awe or surprise, and you’ll instantly add a wow factor to your photograph. Filters also help add creative elements to an image. This scene was originally shot in color, but was switched to black and white to add a more powerful contrast. Most cameras and smartphones have a variety of built-in filters. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Take the picture in the normal setting as well in case you’re not sure you’ll like the final effect.

That pesky delete button

One of the benefits of digital photography is you can take as many photographs as your memory cards will hold. It’s tempting to start deleting images out in the field, but resist the urge. Details can’t always be seen on the tiny LCD screen. You’ll be surprised at what you’ve managed to catch once the files are uploaded to the computer and you can see the image in a larger format. Spend the money on lots of gigabytes of storage. It’s worth it.

Name: Erica Van Steenis

University attended: Erica has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Berkeley, and master’s degree in community development from University of California Davis.

Years with AT: This will be Erica’s sixth summer.

Erica, what’s your favorite AT activity? Backpacking! I know a lot of our new students come in nervous about this activity. I really enjoy seeing them grow to love it. By the end, it’s often the activity they are the most excited about.

Also, it’s a really unique experience, because it’s so immersive. As an instructor, I feel it’s instrumental in building communities.

What do you do when you’re not working with Adventure Treks? I’m currently a PhD student in the education program at the University of Colorado Boulder. Specifically, I’m studying how kids learn in informal learning environments.

What is your favorite aspect of an AT trip? I know this sounds cheesy, but I love our students! We get incredibly nice kids, who make it possible to build supportive communities. I’ve really enjoyed working with some of our older students, because I’ve gotten to see how they grow through the years at AT..

Favorite AT meal? That’s an easy one: Yahoo dinner! Who can say no to steak, chicken, fruit salad, and mashed potatoes?

What keeps you coming back to work for AT? It’s definitely the community of instructors and students. I’ve made some of my best friends while working with Adventure Treks, and I feel I’ve made a positive impact on our students. It’s rewarding being asked to write recommendation letters for colleges.

What’s your most treasured piece of outdoor gear? My skis! Although it’s not an AT activity, I love skiing.

If you could cannonball into a swimming pool filled with anything, what would it be? Swedish fish! I’m not saying it would be the most comfortable landing, but it would be the tastiest.

Where would you like to go for your next adventure? I’d have to say Cuba. I’m very interested in the culture, and I’d love to see it in its current state of development.

Tell us a cool fact about yourself: Many years ago, I worked on Hickory Nut Gap Farm in North Carolina for a little over a year, and I really enjoyed it.