Overland : summer & semester programs for 10-19 year olds
for 5th graders only Overland welcomes our youngest students to join us for a week of exploration in the beautiful Berkshires and Green Mountains. We'll hike hills and mountains, cycle a quiet bike path and raft a fun river on our Berkshire Adventure.
Few settings could equal the Berkshires and the southern Green Mountains as locations for an introductory Overland program. Gentle hills become mountains, clear rivers flow past old farms and postcard-perfect towns spread out from manicured greens. With a wide range of fun outdoor activities—from hiking to biking to rafting to camping to playing games—the Berkshire Hills and the Green Mountains in southern Vermont are perfect for our week-long 5th grade program. We’ll begin with easier hikes and walks, building up to our hike of Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. We’ll spend a day cycling the countryside on the beautiful Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. On the Deerfield River, we’ll enjoy a day of rafting.
At trip’s end, we’ll celebrate all that we have accomplished and seen on our Berkshire Adventure—the perfect introduction to Overland.
“Thank you for having a one-week, 5th grade program. It is the ideal first experience.” Helen Hamel, Wellesley, Massachusetts
For students who will finish grade 5 in June 2010.
Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
1 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
Starts and ends in Williamstown, Massachusetts
Students who fly to the trip fly into the Albany, New York, International Airport, where Overland staff will be on hand to meet and assist all arriving students. Students who are dropped off should come to the Williams College Campus in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
At the end of the trip in Williamstown, students can either fly home from the Albany, New York, airport or be picked up in Williamstown. Overland staff will be on hand to assist all students with flights or pick-ups.
Sunday, June 27 to Saturday, July 3
Sunday, July 4 to Saturday, July 10
Sunday, July 11 to Saturday, July 17
Sunday, July 18 to Saturday, July 24
Sunday, July 25 to Saturday, July 31
Sunday, August 1 to Saturday, August 7
$1495 (airfare not included)
“A program I can trust.” Sue Boomershine, Wilmette, Illinois
The trip begins in Williamstown, Massachusetts. For those who fly, we'll pick you up at Albany International Airport in Albany, New York; for those who are dropped off, we'll meet on the Williams College campus.
On our first afternoon together, we'll focus on getting to know each other through playing fun games and taking a short, beautiful hike to stretch our legs. Our group will include two leaders—always a man and a woman—and up to 12 students (never more). A small group makes for close friendships and fun as we enjoy our week together.
We'll spend our days doing day hikes and bike rides. We'll bike the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and hike to a few of the beautiful vistas in and around Williamstown, Massachusetts, and Manchester, Vermont. Between hikes and rides, we'll enjoy the area, taking a dip in one of the local swimming holes or playing group games. We'll spend one day rafting the Deerfield River with professional guides. The Deerfield is a perfect mixture of fun rapids and calmer water in the spectacular Zoar Gap. At trip's end, we'll challenge ourselves with a hike up Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts (3,491 feet).
On our last night together, we’ll celebrate our week of fun and discovery. All in all, this trip is the perfect introduction to Overland.
“I didn't have a favorite part; I loved it all!” Melissa Swann, Williamstown, Massachusetts
This is an introductory trip. The selected activities, their duration and intensity, are designed for adventurous kids who will finish 5th grade in June 2010. The challenge level is a 1 on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is easiest. While this is an introductory trip designed for our youngest students, it is essential that parents make a good choice for their child. Every Overland program requires independence, age-appropriate maturity and good fitness.
“I had a great time on Berkshire Adventure meeting friends, hiking, biking and especially rafting. It was the best week of my life.” Emma Robitaille, Cincinnati, Ohio
Stay active in sports and get out for some walks and rides this spring. The more you prepare, the more you'll enjoy your program and the better able you'll be to hike and ride safely this summer.
Our packing list is designed to keep you safe and comfortable while hiking, biking and camping this summer. Keep in mind, however, that there are a wide range of products available in terms of clothing and equipment. Overland programs are relatively short, and although you want your clothing and equipment to be durable, this does not mean it has to be top of the line. Oftentimes more basic and less expensive options perform just as well. Some of our favorite brands, in terms of quality of product for a reasonable price, include REI, EMS and L.L.Bean.
Label the following items with your name, address and phone number. Bring only what you need and pack everything in a duffel bag or your daypack. You should carry your sleeping bag on the plane with you in case your checked luggage fails to arrive on time.
Please bring only the clothes listed below. Do not wear an extra set of clothes for the flight. By layering you will stay cool on warm days, dry on rainy days and warm on cool nights. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office.
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).
We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (e.g., cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.
Below is the Admissions Materials packet and other information for Berkshire Adventure.
Flight & Travel Information 2010
We welcome your interest in joining Overland this summer!
To apply, please complete and sign the application on page 47 of the Overland catalog or download an application. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the application).
Please refer to page 46 of our catalog for important information you should know before signing the application.
Send your application and $795 deposit to:
Overland
P.O. Box 31
Williamstown, MA 01267
For overnight mail via UPS or FedEx, please use our street address:
Overland
63 Spring Street
Williamstown, MA 01267
Sorry, we are unable to accept applications by fax, and we do not take credit cards. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they arrive at our office and we cannot hold spots over the phone.
To learn about our admissions process, please click here.
United States | New England | Western US | Alaska | Hawaii | Canada | Costa Rica | Virgin Islands | Peru | Europe | Tanzania
Overland Programs offers more than 40 different trips including New England summer camps and hiking adventures for tweens (5th graders and 6th graders), hiking trips for teens, teen bike trips in Europe and America, and teen summer service programs. Whether you're looking for a language immersion program, summer programs abroad or service programs abroad, summer writing programs, environmental studies programs, teen adventure travel trips, a field studies program, or even a gap year semester in Spain, you're sure to find a program here which will create lasting memories, capture the imagination, and strengthen physical, emotional and social skills. Overland is not simply a summer or semester-long experience—it's a life experience with value and resonance that extends far beyond the boundaries of a young person's time with us.
Overland leaders are students and recent alumni from top colleges and universities, including many schools in the Ivy League and NESCAC as well as other elite schools across the country. Overland leaders are campus leaders, varsity athletes, sports captains, peer counselors, outdoor guides, and honors students. All leaders are First Aid, CPR, and lifeguard certified.
Overland Programs, also known as Overland Summers and even as Overland Adventures, is proud to have ACA accredited summer programs, teen summer camps, teen summer adventures, teen travel, teen summer programs, teenage camps, teen adventure programs, teen adventure trips, summer camp programs, summer programs abroad, language immersion courses abroad, teen bike trips, teen bicycle tours, teen summer service programs and New England camps which are held to the highest safety standards.
Web Design and Hosting © 2010 Union Street Media Copyright 2010 Overland All rights reserved