Blog: 2009

From the Hood to the Woods 2011
August 26, 2009

Sep 05, 2011

 
 
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The Maine and Urban Trekkers students and mentors pose atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.

Thomaston — Trekkers, a local youth mentoring organization, hosted its sixth annual “From the ‘Hood to the Woods” expedition at Blueberry Cove Camp in Tenants Harbor this August.

Students from Trekkers and its sister organization, Urban Trekkers from Camden, N.J., used the four-day expedition as an opportunity to build meaningful relationships across cultural boundaries while exploring Maine’s beautiful outdoors.

This year more than 20 high school students participated alongside six adult mentors from Maine and Camden, N.J. The activities included kayaking in Port Clyde, lobstering with local fishermen in Tenants Harbor, swimming in quarries and holding a lobster bake. The group also explored Acadia National Park, where they hiked the Beehive Trail and visited Sand Beach. Throughout the four-day expedition, they participated in games, teambuilding activities and group discussions.

“From the ‘Hood to the Woods” was created in 2006 by Don Carpenter, executive director of Trekkers, and Jim Cummings, executive director of Urban Trekkers. Both were seeking to create a safe setting for students from all walks of life to engage in meaningful conversations regarding the prejudice and racism that occur in Maine and New Jersey. One student commented, “[The experience taught me] that even though we may look different, we’re all the same on the inside. We have a lot in common.”

This expedition is not the only opportunity for the Maine and Urban Trekkers to connect and build relationships. Each February and April, the two groups meet in Camden, N.J., to participate in similar teambuilding activities in an urban setting. Carpenter comments, “Because we travel to Camden twice a year to visit the Urban Trekkers in their community, the opportunity to have a cultural exchange here in the Midcoast becomes that much sweeter. For the past six years this give-and-take has proved to be magical, opening the doors of communication and deconstructing stereotypes. I'm so glad that we're able to provide these opportunities to our students.”

Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center partnered with Trekkers for this program, providing the use of Blueberry Cove Camp. Tanglewood is part of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

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