Student Island Trip
June 17–19, 2026 | Rangeley, Maine
Student Island Trip is a three-day, overnight wilderness leadership experience for students entering 9th & 12th grade (Fall ‘26).
Participants will paddle to a remote island in Rangeley, Maine, where they’ll spend three days immersed in hands-on learning, shared responsibility, and group living. Grounded in WYLD and YLTA’s evidence-informed approach to positive youth development, this camp uses experiential learning to build youth leadership. Participants strengthen planning, facilitation, accountability, and teamwork skills while preparing for key transition years—supporting students entering high school as they build confidence and belonging, and students entering their senior year as they step into mentorship and leadership roles within their schools and YLTA communities.
Through experiential education and outdoor adventure, students will:
Learn the foundations of experiential education
Identify and strengthen their personal leadership style
Deepen awareness of accountability and responsibility to themselves, their group, and their community
Develop practical outdoor skills including camping, backcountry cooking, navigation, survival techniques, hazard recognition, and basic first aid
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Maine wilderness, Student Island Trip challenges students to step outside their comfort zones, work together, and grow as confident, capable leaders—on the water, on the island, and back in their schools and communities.
