The Arizona Trail Association’s youth programs need your support!
The Arizona Trail Association is dedicating this 25th Anniversary fundraiser to the kids. Ensuring the legacy of the Arizona Trail is sustained for the next 25 years and beyond, we are committed to fostering a love of the outdoors in Arizona's youth by engaging them in meaningful, free, outdoor education. Please join us in supporting Arizona's youth in our groundbreaking programs, Seeds of Stewardship and Gear Girls, by donating $25 or more today.
A gift of $25 provides fuel to transport 12 students to and from expeditions.
A gift of $250 provides educational materials such as journals, magnifying glasses, and compasses for up to 60 students.
A gift of $2,500 supports a year of expeditions for up to 15 students.
$25,000 supports our purchase of a new 15-passenger van.
Despite recent devistating funding cuts, the Arizona Trail Association remains firm that our service to youth should not be compromised. The thousands of students engaged in our outdoor education programs today are the future stewards of the Arizona Trail. With your help, we can continue to provide free experiential learning to youth across Arizona, eliminating barriers to participation, and inspiring our next generation to become empowered advocates for public land and trails.
The formative outdoor experiences of one person's youth are the reason the Arizona Trail exists. Those of us who already love the Arizona Trail know that we have this world-class resource because of the vision, dedication, and hard work of Dale Shewalter. But did you know that Dale's father worked extra shifts on Saturday's to send Dale and his brother, Steve, to summer camp so they could immerse themselves in nature? Dale grew up being taken on hikes and bike rides by his parents. He grew up in a dedicated outdoor family. Without the opportunities Dale Shewalter had to fall in love with adventure and public lands, Arizona would lack the legacy left by this dedicated outdoorsman. The Arizona Trail Association’s youth programs are devoted providing young people the kinds of experiences that Dale had.
Our youth education programs, Seeds of Stewardship and Gear Girls, engage youth in unique outdoor expeditions and opportunities. The Seeds of Stewardship program integrates classroom lessons in STEM with experiential-learning through a unique three-tiered approach of exploration, education, and service. Students that might not thrive in the classrom have a chance to shine on the Arizona Trail. Gear Girls instills young women, grades 4-8, with outdoor competence, confidence, character, and community through mountain biking, snowsports and trail work. Girls are given the skills they need to hold their own in a co-ed or male dominated environment. Instructors, Sabrina and Treven, provide safe, supportive, and inclusive spaces that empower students to become strong, capable, outdoor leaders. The appreciation for public land that our students develop through volunteer trail work alongside ATA professionals ensures that the future of our outdoor community is a diverse group of inspired and empowered advocates of our natural resources.
Now through April 12, we are calling on all of our supporters and communities to help us ensure that we can continue to engage and inspire the future stewards of our Arizona Trail and sustain the outdoor places we love. To help us gain national recognition with the A Community Thrives Challenge and to qualify for project grants through this Challenge, we MUST hit our goal of $6,000. Please help us reach our goal by donating $25 or more today.
To learn more about our youth programs please visit https://aztrail.org/youth/ and check out our social media pages!
