SARA’S SCHOLARSHIP ~ Engaging Teens in the Outdoors
made possible by a partnership between Teens To Trails and The Chewonki Foundation
REMEMBERING SARA by Carol Leone
We lost Sara in a car accident on July 13th, 2005. Our family of
four returned to a family of three & our loss could not have been
more penetrating. We lost the peace, the hope, and the joy we
had come to know. In our search for some sense of reality, we
turn to the one constant in our lives... the natural world that
surrounds us. It is here that so many of our most vivid memories
of Sara are found.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of
strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
~ Rachel Carson
Sara was in love with life – always that beautiful smile on her face and always in the middle of
the action. It would brighten your day just to be around her. Her sense of humor was both
clever & contagious. She had a way of putting you at ease with her laugh and her ability to
make fun of herself.
But, behind her devilish smile was a strong determination – striving to do her best at whatever
she tackled. Her small size never kept her down. She approached the challenges of each day not
just with intensity, but humility.
Sara was a leader by example. She did not work to put herself first, but chose instead to include
everyone – hoping to bring everyone along together. She was the perfect teammate and
companion, caring and giving, friendly to all and a good friend to many.
Sara's love of the outdoors played a key role in the person she had become. Perhaps that is
where her curiosity and keen self-awareness first took root. From her many outdoor
experiences, she grew comfortable with herself and her place in the world. It gave her an
unstoppable self-confidence that drove her to work hard, to play hard, to achieve. The way she
explored the natural world became the manner in which she lead her life – with passion and
compassion. Nature was a part of Sara, just as Sara is forever a part of me.
BACKGROUND on SARA’S SCHOLARSHIP
In 2005, Sara’s family and friends established the Sara Leone Scholarship Award in her
memory and associated it with her own Wiscasset High School. Along with college ambitions,
the Scholarship encouraged Sara's spirit of individuality. For three years, June 2006, 2007 &
2008, an award was made to a graduating senior girl chosen by a committee of Sara’s coaches
and teachers. Three wonderful young women from Wiscasset High School were recipients of
the Sara Leone Scholarship Award: Kate Riser, Mckenzie Smith and Foxfire Buck. Along with
this Award, each received a $1500 check to support their college endeavors.
During that same time, Teens To Trails was born, a nonprofit charitable organization created
to engage Maine teens in the outdoors. Teens To Trails feels strongly that outdoor experiences
are critical to a teenagers’ mental and physical well being. This initiative was inspired by Sara
and the Wiscasset Outing Club, of which she was an active member. With the establishment of
the Teens To Trails organization and the graduation of Sara’s own Class of 2008, Sara’s
Scholarship was moved under the umbrella of Teens To Trails, allowing for tax deductible
contributions and an exciting new focus.
In the fall of 2008, Teens To Trails was happy & proud to announce a partnership with the
highly-respected Chewonki Foundation to create “SARA’S SCHOLARSHIP ~ Engaging Teens
in the Outdoors”. Through this alliance, SARA’S SCHOLARSHIP will send two Maine high
school sophomores –one young lady and one young man – on a 3-week summer wilderness
adventure. This experience will be an extraordinary exploration in self-discovery, opening a
whole new world to two teenagers each summer – an opportunity they would not otherwise be
able to afford. We know these experiences can change a life. It is also our intent that these
Scholarships will spark student interest in the outdoors, high school Outing Clubs, and the
various Chewonki programs available to all teens.
CHEWONKI’S CAMP FOR GIRLS & CO-ED WILDERNESS TRIPS
Camp Chewonki for Girls is situated on Fourth Debsconeag Lake in the heart of Maine’s North
Woods. The Camp offers a variety of unique opportunities for young women to explore the
natural world in a challenging, fun, and nurturing environment. By camping and traveling in
small groups, young women experience many rich dimensions of wilderness living while
gaining self-confidence, cultivating relationships with their peers and leaders, learning a wide
variety of skills, and deepening their knowledge of the wild places. Chewonki's leaders support
each participant in discovering her inborn capacity for courage, compassion, insight, and
perseverance, allowing each girl to return home with heightened self-awareness, expanded
horizons, and a renewed sense of wonder. The Chewonki website is full of useful information
for potential campers – www.chewonki.org/girlscamp.
Chewonki also offers co-ed wilderness adventures where teens make great new friends, learn
advanced outdoor skills, and travel through some of the most awesome beauty in the northeast
– www.chewonki.org/trips.
Scholarship recipients choose from a wide variety of scheduled 3-week wilderness trips for
teens. Two summer sessions (June 22-July 13 & July 18-August 9) and trip options are already
set for next summer & registration is underway. Tuition for these sessions are normally $4600.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION & ELIBILITY
Two high school sophomores will be chosen in each year that deserving candidates are found.
We are looking for one young woman & one young man who show great interest in living and
learning in the outdoors, who have the social and emotional maturity to thrive in a community
of their peers, and who would be unable to attend Camp Chewonki for Girls or participate in a
Chewonki Wilderness Trip without financial assistance. Priority may be given to Wiscasset
High School students. This Scholarship will be awarded without regard to race, color or
national origin.
EXPECTATIONS of SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Once selected, there is additional Chewonki paperwork to fill out promptly and turn in by
February 15th. Camp sessions and trips fill up, so it is important for each recipient to contact
Chewonki to reserve their spot in one of the sessions. At Chewonki, even full scholarship
recipients are asked to contribute at least a small amount toward their summer experience.
Sara’s Scholarship recipients will be responsible for a small fully-refundable deposit.
To assist you in your planning, Chewonki has a packing list for each wilderness experience. The
Scholarship recipients will be responsible for locating their gear, clothing & supplies, but we
can help. Chewonki provides a list of items that participants can use at a small fee, including
sleeping bags, packs, thermorests, etc. Your Outing Club Advisor can also help locate items to
borrow as needed.
At the end of the summer, Scholarship recipients are expected to find a way to share with Teens
To Trails some memories of their experience. This may take the form of a written narrative,
photographs, slide show or video. These stories can help inspire other teens to explore the
outdoors & will help us locate potential donors to keep the Scholarship program going.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested students can download the Application, get an Application Form from their Outing
Club Advisor, Guidance Counselor, or by contacting Teens To Trails. It includes three parts:
(1) an Application Form with basic contact information & camp session choices, (2) a short
Essay which is described on the Form, and (3) a Recommendation from someone who knows
the applicant well.
MAIL TO:
Teens To Trails
ATTN: Carol Leone
PO Box 116
Edgecomb, ME 04556
You can call Carol Leone for help on 882-9613, email [email protected], or check our
website at www.TeensToTrails.org.
All three pieces MUST BE RECEIVED by
January 21st 2011
A recipient will be chosen in early February.
Teens To Trails PO Box 116 Edgecomb ME 04556
www.TeensToTrails.org