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Alaska Community Service 14 Days
Some call it Land of the Midnight Sun, others the Last Frontier – you will call it your community service adventure of a lifetime! Alaska offers a stark contrast – rich in beauty and natural resources yet poverty can be found – there is much we can do. This Alaska student tour uses a service-learning framework where our staff provide guidance and reflection on the impact of the work done throughout the program and promote the value of empathy and cultural sensitivity. This program contains a leadership component which will help you assess & develop your own leadership style while learning and practicing leadership skills. This volunteer trip for teens to The Great Land gives you the opportunity to work for positive change, and will likely broaden your perspective as well. On your final night, you will have much to celebrate!
The perfect balance of meaningful service projects, cultural immersion and unforgettable adventures.
A letter of completion detailing the program's service hours and projects will be issued after the program.
Your service hours are eligible toward the President's Volunteer Service Award.
Everybody participates together in each project. Specific projects are confirmed in late spring and are similar to those described.
College Residence, Bed & Breakfast and Rustic Lodges.
Includes breakfast and dinner daily, plus 8 lunches.
Includes all recreation & activities listed.
Travel in passenger vans driven by our staff.
Up to 18 participants.
This program contains a leadership component which will help you assess & develop your own leadership style while learning and practicing leadership skills.
Learn about the Alaskan ecosystem and ongoing preservation and educational projects. In Homer, you will visit the Wynn Nature Center. Past projects include helping to build a boardwalk trail to a lookout point and clearing dead trees. At the Peterson Bay Field Station, past work has included clearing trails from invasive plant species and beautifying the center through light construction projects. Participants will learn about tidepooling and local edible plant uses as well as marine ecosystems that affect the food we eat and how our food choices affect the environment and communities around us.
About Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies’ mission is to foster responsible interaction with our natural surroundings and to generate knowledge of the unique marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship.
Help improve the lives of the residents of Hope Community Resources by doing outdoor home improvement projects such as painting, landscaping, lawn maintenance, & cleaning. Lending a hand to beautify the property where those living with developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury and mental health challenges help them to feel a sense of pride and dignity in their home & living space.
About Hope Community Resources
Hope Community Resources is a non-profit organization providing community support to hundreds of individuals and families who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury and mental health challenges. They focus on individuality, dignity, opportunity, independence, choice, inclusion, relationships, & joy. The people who choose their supports range in age from infancy to the elderly, are of diverse ethnic background, and experience a range of disabilities.
Help prepare Pantry Packs and meals for those in need. Help run a local fundraiser or assist in basic housekeeping, and lend a hand with maintenance and groundskeeping.
About Bean’s Cafe
The mission of Bean’s Café is to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless during the day without discrimination. Since 1979, this center has provided hot nutritious meals and warm and safe day shelter to the homeless community, as well as referral assistance to health and human service programs.
Enjoy the scenic views that surround Alaska’s largest city - home to 40% of the State’s population. Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting the Matanuska River. Strap on crampons as you hike across a glacier for stunning views of Denali National Park. Try your luck at an afternoon of axe throwing. Enjoy a day hiking and soaking in the sights of Girdwood on the Alyeska Aerial Tram. Come face to face with Alaskan wildlife at the Wildlife Conservation Center.
Kayak and hike Resurrection Bay, “gateway to the Kenai Fjords”. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of amazing sled dogs. Mush through the Seward Alaska wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek. Upon return to the kennel, tour the facilities and cuddle adorable husky puppies. Visit the Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska’s premier public aquarium and only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility.
Marvel at the natural beauty of Kachemak Bay State Park as you hike the Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail. This 3 mile trail contains beaches, cottonwood and Sitka spruce forests, distant icebergs and tons of amazing wildlife if you’re lucky.
Anchorage, Alaska
Located just 15 minutes from downtown Anchorage, this college residence is in a beautiful forested area. Alaska Pacific University has full laundry and athletic facilities.
Seward, Alaska
The Hutch Bed & Breakfast is located in the heart of Cooper Landing and is surrounded by majestic mountains and the famous Kenai and Russian Rivers. The deck boasts gorgeous views so you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Homer, Alaska
Rustic but awesome! Take over Seaside Farm, an old farmhouse with unsurpassed scenery of wildflowers, mountains, glaciers and sunsets.
Peterson Bay, Alaska
After taking a short boat trip to an island across the bay, you will be staying at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies Peterson Bay Field Station. Sleeping in a traditional yurt with nature at your doorstep, you can easily jump right into your service work!
Flight to Anchorage, Alaska
For participants on this program, we help you coordinate your flight times and greet you upon arrival in Anchorage.
Return Flight Home from Anchorage, Alaska
For your return flight from Anchorage, our leaders help you to check-in and remain at the airport until flights at designated times have departed. Depending on the number of students from the New York area we may offer a chaperoned flight.
Where We Stay
We carefully select clean and comfortable accommodations with the needs of our students in mind. While our volunteer programs do not stay at luxury resorts, we do know that a good night’s rest, in your own bed, is key to performing your service hours well and having enough energy to enjoy the day’s activities. For this reason, and also to maintain the close group bond and to uphold the quality of this program, we do not offer any homestays.
Our island experience in Peterson’s Bay will involve 3 nights sleeping in yurts! These comfortable glamping structures have six bunk beds with mattresses. Participants are required to bring their own sleeping bags. The yurts are spread around the central field station with great views of the surrounding bay.
Meals
We are proud of the fact that year after year we are complimented for our quality and quantity of food and variety of options. On this program in Alaska, breakfasts are at restaurants or prepared by our staff and lunches and dinners are at restaurants. For our 3 days at Petersen’s Bay, staff and participants prepare all meals each day.
We have satisfied the choosiest of eaters and gladly accommodate most special dietary requests including vegetarian, anaphylactic food allergies, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher style. We welcome discussing your individual requirements with you and have extensive experience in this area.
Laundry
You will only need to bring one week’s worth of clothing as outlined in the packing list that will be sent to you prior to departure. We visit local laundromats weekly and we will supply the detergent and dryer sheets. Don’t worry if you’ve never done laundry before, we’ll show you the ropes. Parents, we know the thought of your children doing laundry is making you smile!
What’s Included
Included in your program tuition is all lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, 8 lunches, recreation & entertainment listed, airport transfers in designated times, gratuities & taxes.
Not included is transportation to and from the program and personal spending money for snacks, souvenirs, and laundry. We also make available optional travel insurance that is not included, but highly recommended.
Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to hear from you!
What if I need to contact my teen during the program?
Participants may bring their cell phones so parents may call and message their kids directly. You may also contact our Communication Centers which serve as the official link between programs on the road and parents. We are staffed every day during the summer and have somebody on call for after hours emergencies ready to assist you 24/7.
Who are the staff and what are their qualifications?
Our staff are educators, guidance counselors, coaches, college and university students, former camp counselors, residence life coordinators, community volunteers, world travelers, and other leaders with diverse backgrounds. Many are former participants themselves who couldn’t get enough of the Westcoast experience! Learn more about our summer leaders.
How are roommates assigned?
On our Active Teen Tours, Global Adventures and Community Service programs rooming rotation is as follows:
Giving everyone a chance to make new friends creates a cohesive group and one of the most warm and welcoming social environments in our industry! To promote this we’ve found the best system is for the program director to assign the rooms for the first and second stops. For the first stop, independent travelers room with other independent travelers and any friends who enrolled can room together. All participants will be assigned a different roommate for the second stop. Roommates are assigned based on gender identity. After the first two stops, choice of roommates is always up to you!
On our Pre-College Enrichment programs & Career Experiences rooming is as follows:
We assign independent travelers with another independent traveler for the duration of your stay. Any friends who enrolled together can room together. Roommates are assigned based on gender identity.
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