PRINCETON — The University of Maine Early College Program, in partnership with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will offer a four-credit summer program in outdoor leadership for high school students at the 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Greenland Point.
The 10-day intensive program will run August 7–16. Students will learn foundational knowledge and skills to deal with medical and traumatic emergencies in remote settings. They also will gain introductory knowledge in outdoor and adventure activities while completing two college courses: KPE 207 Wilderness First Aid and KPE 265 Outdoor and Adventure Activities.
Students will build skills in four different activity categories: canoeing, climbing, hiking and orienteering, and backcountry trip leading. The canoeing portion of the course will include instruction in paddling techniques, expedition skills and safety considerations. The climbing portion of the course emphasizes the fundamental skills and safety knowledge needed for indoor top-rope climbing, including risk management and belay certification. During the orienteering portion, students will learn and practice essential map and compass skills. In the backcountry tripping portion, students will learn about trip planning, menu planning, backcountry cooking, packing, environmental concerns, trip-leading skills and risk management. These skills will be used on a two-night, three-day canoeing trip.
The courses are tuition free for Maine public school and homeschool students, who are eligible to earn up to 12 credits per year tuition free. Students paying tuition to attend any school in the state of Maine and high school students from out-of-state (non-Maine residents) are eligible to take courses at a reduced Early College rate of $138.25/credit hour. There is a residence fee of $850 per student for the program.
More information about the outdoor leadership program is on the UMaine Early College website. High school students interested in applying are encouraged to contact Kari Suderley, director of Early College Programs, at (207) 581-8024 or um.earlycollege@maine.edu.
