Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program is free and open for applications

Maine high school sophomores and juniors eager for an outdoor adventure of a lifetime, listen up! Friends of Baxter State Park is currently accepting applications for the 2015 Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program, a free nine-day wilderness experience in Baxter State Park scheduled for Aug. 8-16. The application deadline is Feb. 8.

Courtesy of Will Greene Participants in the 2013 Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program hiking on North Traveler Mountain in Baxter State Park.

Courtesy of Will Greene
Participants in the 2013 Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program hiking on North Traveler Mountain in Baxter State Park.

This program offers 10 high school sophomores and juniors the opportunity to go on a backpacking expedition with experienced wilderness leaders from Maine’s Chewonki Foundation. And along the way, participants will learn from a variety of specialists, who will meet them in the park to help the students study the wilderness through science, art, storytelling, photography, writing, history and recreation.

Thanks to support of generous donors, Friends of Baxter State Park is able to offer the program at no cost to participants. However, successful applicants will be supplied with a list of backpacking gear and clothing they will need to bring.

Participants will hike with a geologist, volunteer with a ranger, stargaze with an astronomer, paint at Katahdin Lake with a professional artist, and more.

While much of this adventure is about enjoying the wilderness and having fun, participants must also be committed to working hard and embracing learning opportunities. Prior to the program, participants are asked to prepare by compiling the necessary gear and completing reading assignments. And after returning from the expedition, each participant is asked to give a public presentation in his or her community.

There is a competitive application process to be accepted into the program. Only students who are currently enrolled as a sophomore or junior in a Maine high school are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted online at www.friendsofbaxter.org by the deadline of Feb. 8. Ten participants and six alternates will be announces in March.

For information about the program, visit www.friendsofbaxter.org or send mail to Friends of Baxter at P.O. Box 322, Belfast, ME 04915.

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.