Overland : summer & semester programs for 10-19 year olds
open to grades 8-12 Through Southwest Service we’ll serve the communities of Santa Fe, discovering the growth and fulfillment that come from helping others as we work side by side with the people of the Southwest.
We’ll meet in Albuquerque and van to Santa Fe, where we’ll dedicate our time and energy to helping local service organizations and reaching out to the Native American and Hispanic communities. Our projects will include volunteering at The Food Depot, the largest food bank in northern New Mexico, serving the elderly, homeless and hungry; restoring hiking trails with local outdoor organizations; and mentoring at-risk youth at an elementary school. All of these projects require enthusiasm, focus and flexibility, as well as a strong work ethic and a willingness to be challenged physically.
During the late afternoons and on the weekend, our group will explore downtown Santa Fe and the surrounding area. We’ll enjoy hikes to the prehistoric ruins at Bandelier National Monument, the incredible geological formations at Tent Rocks and more. At program’s end, we’ll celebrate and reflect upon our two weeks of rewarding service in America’s Southwest.
“Kela had the time of her life, and she felt that she really made a difference.” Dee Butts, Wayland, Massachusetts
For students who will finish grades 8-12 in June 2010.
Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.
3 (1-10, 1 is easiest)
Starts and ends in Albuquerque, New Mexico
2 Weeks
Sunday, June 27 to Friday, July 9
Sunday, July 11 to Friday, July 23
Sunday, July 25 to Friday, August 6
$3195 (airfare not included)
“It was great. Everyone in my group got along well, and I enjoyed mentoring the students at the elementary school. My least favorite part was going home.” Marc Greenspon, Winnetka, Illinois
We’ll meet in Albuquerque and van an hour north to Santa Fe to settle into our comfortable accommodations at the Institute of American Indian Art. After we’ve settled into our rooms (doubles shared by Overland students of the same gender), we’ll reconvene as a group and spend the rest of the day getting to know one another.
The following morning we’ll dive right into our first day of service work in Santa Fe. Over the course of our two weeks together, we’ll work with a variety of local service organizations. Here are brief descriptions of a few of the organizations with whom we’ll hope to work this summer:
The Food Depot is the largest food bank in Northern New Mexico, distributing an average of 200,000 pounds of food each month! Donated food is dropped off at the warehouse where it is inspected and organized for distribution—all with help from volunteers. We'll contribute our time and energy to this effort, sorting vegetables, bagging bread and making friends along the way.
We will partner with local elementary schools to provide reading mentorship to first, second and third graders. Students will work with a lead teacher to provide a combination of mentorship and reading assistance that will inspire young readers. We encourage people to bring a few favorite children's books to share with their reading buddies over the course of the program.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Fe (BGCSF) has served and continues to serve some of the neediest families in Santa Fe. By strategically placing its Clubs in public housing developments and other neighborhoods where disadvantaged children live, BGCSF is the only nonprofit youth organization that conducts its out-of-school programs directly in the neighborhoods where the families they serve live. Our groups will work with the Boys & Girls Club to assist with mentoring younger students during their summer programs.
Railyard Stewards Community Gardens
The Railyard Stewards is a grassroots organization working in partnership with the City of Santa Fe in a unique care, conservation and education effort to encourage residents to actively participate in our newest and largest city park and adjacent community plaza. Our Southwest Service groups will work with the Railyard Stewards program to learn about the history of Santa Fe and tend to the community gardens in the Park where the produce is taken to the Food Depot.
When we're not pursuing volunteer opportunities in Santa Fe, we'll explore the surrounding area and have fun as a group. During late afternoons, we’ll explore downtown Santa Fe or just spend some time relaxing in the foothills of Santa Fe at our accommodations on the campus of the Institute for American Indian Arts. Each evening we’ll prepare and enjoy dinner together, and share the highs and lows of the day over dessert. In this way we'll gather each evening to look back over the rewarding day of service to the community and reenergize for the next day of outreach.
On the weekend our group will explore the surrounding Santa Fe area, traveling to nearby Taos, New Mexico, enjoying hikes to prehistoric ruins at Bandelier National Monument, incredible geological formations at Tent Rocks and more. While hikes are not overly vigorous, students should be prepared to explore the outdoor beauty of the surrounding area with their group.
We'll end our two weeks together with a final dinner out in Santa Fe to celebrate and reflect upon our rewarding service in America's Southwest.
“I had a great time on my trip, and I loved all the work I got to do in Santa Fe. Everywhere we went we had Overland’s great reputation to uphold, and you could tell people counted on Overland kids every summer.” Ilana Engel, Birmingham, Alabama
Service Hours
30 hours of service
Students: Is this trip right for you?
Southwest Service requires a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard as teen summer service volunteers. Participants should be eager to take part in a variety of summer service projects and be ready for both the challenges and rewards that service work offers.
Keep in mind that your enjoyment of this trip will hinge on certain factors:
Please note that some of the service opportunities your group pursues will depend on the needs of the community and available service opportunities. We ask for students’ flexibility in the service projects we pursue in Santa Fe.
“I loved the whole experience. We helped many different causes throughout the program.” Jason Kim, Manhattan Beach, California
Below is the Admissions Material packet and other information for Southwest Service.
Southwest Service combines meaningful person-to-person mentorship and demanding outdoor service, that requires dedication, selflessness and hard work. Begin your preparations for a great summer of teen summer service now by organizing your luggage, clothing and gear. As the summer nears, stay active and fit through sports and exercise. The more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your program. Then, once your program starts, commit yourself to your group and its service projects wholeheartedly .
On Service programs we travel light —we cannot emphasize this enough. Please bring just one duffel bag and one small day pack for weekend excursions and day hikes. The dimensions of the duffel bag should not exceed 24"L x 13"W x 11"H. We recommend checking out duffel bags from EMS, REI and L.L. Bean as guidelines for size. The day pack should be a regular school backpack with two shoulder straps, large enough to fit a rain coat, water and snacks. It must be worn on both shoulders (satchels and one strap bags will not be appropriate for day hikes and weekend excursions). Use your day pack to carry essentials on the plane (but do not use this bag as additional luggage space). Be sure to tag all items with your name, address and phone number.
Please stick to the following guidelines when packing for your teen summer service program; your group will have access to laundry on a weekly basis. Bring comfortable clothes that can get dirty, paint-splattered and worn while volunteering.
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.
Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at program start and end.
Flight Arrival: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) between 10am and 12pm on Sunday 6/27, 7/11 and 7/25
Flight Departure: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon Friday 7/9, 7/23 and 8/6
Drop Off: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) Baggage Claim #4 at 11am
Pick Up: American Airlines Check-In Area at 10am
Any other special cases: please call the Overland office to coordinate, if you have not done so already.
Flight & Travel Information 2010
Program Start & End Information 2010
During the trip, students may receive mail sent to the below addresses.
On the lower left corner of the envelope, please write: "Please hold for Overland SWS Group ___ . "
Southwest Service 1A
Mail must arrive before July 8th
Student's Name, Overland/SWS 1A
c/o Institute of American Indian Arts
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Southwest Service 1B
Mail must arrive before July 8th
Student's Name, Overland/SWS 1B
c/o Institute of American Indian Arts
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Southwest Service 2A
Mail must arrive before July 22nd
Student's Name, Overland/SWS 2A
c/o Institute of American Indian Arts
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Southwest Service 2B
Mail must arrive before July 22nd
Student's Name, Overland/SWS 2B
c/o Institute of American Indian Arts
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
Southwest Service 3
Mail must arrive before August 5th
Student's Name, Overland/SWS 3
c/o Institute of American Indian Arts
83 Avan Nu Po Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508
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.
Scott Moskowitz is from Marietta, Georgia, and is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is excited to be leading our Southwest Service program in New Mexico this summer. At Vanderbilt, Scott is double majoring in Civil Engineering and Mathematics. He is also the vice president of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), which aims to spread awareness of water conservation and cleanliness. This December, Scott will be traveling with EWB to the village of Llanchama in the Peruvian Amazon to construct a clean well and water purifier. He's also an active member of Manna Project International, and has been on service trips to Argentina and Guatemala in the past. Scott is an avid guitar player and runner, and recently completed his first marathon. He writes, "I was drawn to lead for Overland because of the amazingly enthusiastic people I met who were involved at Overland. I sensed a drive and positive attitude from the leaders that exists in individuals who are truly unique and inspiring."
Overland P.O. Box 31 Williamstown, MA 01267 | 800.458.0588 | 413.458.9672 | Fax: 413.458.5208 info@overlandprograms.com
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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. Overland is not a teen tour or a summer camp, our trips and programs are carefully crafted and designed to challenge our students, who are always in small groups with superlative leadership.
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