Canadian residents pay in Canadian funds at the exchange rate of 1.33
Maine: Sustainability & Island Exploration 12 Days
In this community service program on Hurricane Island, Maine, teens are truly part of sustainability in action! Whether it’s engaging with the sustainable systems that support the breathtaking off-the-grid campus, collecting data for fisheries and aquaculture research that really impacts communities, or helping to harvest food that will be directly incorporated into the island meals, students will be immersed in activities that prepare them to address global challenges. Rock climbing on a granite quarry face, hiking beautiful trails, and lobstering off the coast of Maine all connect students to the natural world and science in action. Students will become part of Hurricane Island’s intentional community as they develop their skills as empowered leaders who can inspire others and enact meaningful change. Cap off your program with 3 nights in Bar Harbor, Maine with lots of adventure in Acadia National Park and our final night in Boston!
The perfect balance of meaningful service projects and unforgettable adventures. Note that while on Hurricane Island for 6 days participants will not have access to their cell phones.
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.
Bunk House & Hotel.
Includes breakfast and dinner daily, plus 6 lunches.
Includes all recreation & activities listed.
Chartered air-conditioned motor coach.
Up to 24 participants.
Data-Driven Marine Debris Cleanups
Contribute to finding global solutions to marine debris by participating in local, data-driven coastal cleanups and contributing your data to inform solutions and policy decisions by stakeholders from property owners to local and national governments.
Aquaculture Research Data Collection
Work with Hurricane Island researchers to help local fishermen become more resilient to change! Collect meaningful data to determine best practices in aquaculture and harvest baby scallops from the wild to help fishermen start farms.
Contributing to Sustainable Food Systems
Be part of a sustainable food system by tending the Hurricane Island gardens and harvest vegetables both on land and in the ocean. What you harvest that day will be part of your dinner that night in our farm-to-table style meals.
About the Hurricane Island Center for Science & Leadership
The Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership is a non-profit organization that focuses on science education, applied research, and leadership development on an environmentally-sustainable island community off the coast of Maine. Hurricane Island itself is completely off-the-grid and immerses participants in a remote, intentional community while empowering them to leave the island as the leaders the world needs.
Experience Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market located in the heart of downtown Boston. Explore Harvard Square home to the oldest university in America!
Rock climbing on Hurricane Island's granite quarry wall offers something for all experience levels. You will be guided in basic climbing techniques learning how to belay, set up top ropes, rappel, and understand basic anchor construction. This is a climbing experience like no other on the breathtaking coast of Maine. Jumping off Hurricane's Pier at low tide (or high tide) is a thrill even before you hit the water! There is no better way to experience Maine than to go lobstering with the locals! Set and haul traps, learn how to tell male from female lobsters, and of course, save some for dinner (yum!). You won't just be a 'program' on the island. You will truly be part of our intentional island community.
Enjoy a few days oceanside as you visit Bar Harbor, the gateway to Acadia National Park. Experience a guided bike tour of the Carriage Roads and kayak along the rocky coastline. Enjoy some downtime at a local beach and explore this picturesque town.
Boston, Massachusetts
The Embassy Suites hotel is located just 12 minutes from downtown Boston. This spacious hotel is the perfect place to spend the first few days of your program and get to know your new friends.
Hurricane Island, Maine
Spend 6 nights on a 125 acre, off-the-grid island in the middle of breathtaking Penobscot Bay, Maine. The bunkhouse is the site of our main solar array and has amazing views no matter what direction you turn!
Bar Harbor, Maine
The Ramada Inn Ellsworth - Bar Harbor is located close to all the adventure that awaits you at Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.
Flight to Boston
For participants on this program, we help you coordinate your flight times and greet you upon arrival in Boston.
Return Flight Home from Boston
For those flying home from Boston, our leaders will help you to check-in and remain in the airport until flights in designated times have departed.
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.
Meals
Eating well while away from home is an important part of a summer’s success. We understand how it helps our travelers feel secure, happy and looking forward to their day.
For Boston and Bar Harbor breakfasts are served at the hotel. Lunches and dinners are at restaurants.
Meals on Hurricane Island are made from fresh ingredients each day by their amazing kitchen staff and often incorporate ingredients from the island gardens and farms. The head chef for your daily meals is also the talented chef that serves farm to table meals for all of the island’s events.
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.
Unplugging while on Hurricane Island
Participants will have a chance to “unplug” for 6 days while spending time connecting with each other on Hurricane Island. Due to the remote nature of the island with limited access to electricity for charging and limited service in general, cell phones will be collected and stored upon arrival. Rest assured, your leaders are still able to maintain communication with the WCC office on a daily basis.
Embracing Sustainability
The island practices a mindful approach to water usage and asks that participants shower every second day to conserve water on the island.
Laundry
You will need 7 days worth of clothing as outlined in the packing list that will be sent to you prior to departure. We have the opportunity to do laundry after our stay at Hurricane Island at a laundromat.
What’s Included
Included in your program tuition is all lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, 6 lunches, recreation & entertainment listed, airport transfers in designated times, and gratuities & taxes.
Not included is airfare to and from Boston, 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?
Giving everyone a chance to make new friends creates a cohesive group and the warmest and most welcoming social environments in our industry!
On our Active Teen Tours, Global Adventures and Community Service programs, rooming rotation is as follows:
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. 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.
Important notes:
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