I’m in the air heading to Alaska, eager to meet our 44 Alaska 1 A and B students. These students average over 3 years of Adventure Treks experience each, and it looks to be another fantastic group of Alaska students. D-mac, our field director is currently in Portland with the Leadership Summit instructors, ready to welcome over 30 fantastic Leadership students on Friday. Our Leadership Summit students will arrive with an average of 4 years of previous Adventure Treks experience, each. Regional Director, Tessa is camping with the Colorado Explorer students while our Director, Niki is holding down the fort in the NC office and working with the delightful Blue Ridge students. All but one of these students have joined us for the very first time. Hopefully they will have such a great Adventure Treks experience that three years from now, many of these Blue Ridge students will be in Alaska or on Leadership Summit!
Alaska will be the fourth and fifth trips; I’ve met so far this week. Getting to meet our students is always the highlight of my summer. I’m constantly amazed by the incredible kids who choose Adventure Treks. It’s especially exciting to watch our brand new students become integrated into the magical world that is Adventure Treks and begin to fall in love with all things outdoors. We of course love getting to know our students as they return over several summers.
It’s been a busy week but a great one! By week’s end we will have opened 11 trips. The unifying trend is simple: great and enthusiastic kids and wonderful and committed instructors with lots of beautiful scenery and outdoor adventure to bring everyone together.
Sure, there have been several delayed flights, a few lost bags and plenty of rain. But these negatives will be soon forgotten as our trips progress. Currently we have 235 Adventure Treks students in the field along with 60 instructors. Staff training for our last 11 instructors (California Challenge 2 and Alaska 2) begins in Southern Washington tomorrow.
Speaking on behalf of our regional directors and instructors, we are thrilled to be working with such an interested and interesting group of students.
Thanks for your trust and support. It’s finally summer!
Best, Dock