Updated April 16, 2010 – the ARCC contest is now closed for entries although you can still sign up for trips on your own.
The team at Adventures Cross-Country (ARCC) recently introduced us to their special brand of service learning travel for teens. In business since 1983, ARCC offers high school students more than 25 different service learning and adventure tours around the globe. Trips range in length from 2 to 5 weeks. Options include a 37-day Alaska multi-sport marathon, a 14 day California trip that include visits to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe as well as 30 hours of service with San Francisco’s homeless community, and a 25-day service adventure to Africa.
Your Teen Can Win a Free Trip!
ARCC is currently running its annual “Summer of a Lifetime” contest which will award a 3-week service learning trip to Costa Rica, free to the winner. Teens who are completing 8th – 12th grades this spring are eligible and can enter just by filling out the sweepstakes form here .
Costa Rica Service Adventure Overview
The Costa Rica Service Adventure trip being given away is a good example of what ARCC offers. After a day or two of group orientation, Spanish lessons and some training on local customs in the capital of San Jose, Costa Rica, the group of 12-18 teens takes on a construction project in a small, remote mountain village in the upper elevation rainforest.
ARCC teen travelers at work in Costa Rica, courtesy ARCC
From the high country, the group heads to the coast for three days of beach camping, surfing and paddling fun. The next two days are spent on the Pacuare River, where howler monkeys and three-toed sloths hang in the trees, as the river meanders through dense rainforest. The group spends a day rafting Class III-IV rapids before arriving at a jungle river lodge where they ride a zip line through the rainforest canopy, hike to hidden swimming holes, and play in waterfalls. The last two days in Costa Rica are spent teaching English at a rural mountain village school, before heading back home. In total the group logs 30 service hours.
White water rafting in Costa Rica, courtesy ARCC
Is ARCC a Good Fit for Your Teen?
ARCC offers trips in the US, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Tahiti, New Zealand and Fiji. Each includes a mix of service, adventure and lots of self discovery. For many participants, it is the first time they have traveled so far from home on their own. ARCC keeps groups small and tries to make sure that the group includes kids close in age so a 13 year old isn’t flying solo with a group of 18 year olds.
The teens that participate need to be in good physical and mental condition to deal with different languages, food, and travel conditions. Past Costa Rica trip participant Kelly B says, “I’ve learned so much about myself and about other cultures and ways of life. I have gained much more confidence. It really has opened my eyes to other cultures and I truly feel I have become a better person out of these unforgettable experiences. I will cherish the memories and people I’ve met along the way forever! ”
Letting Go?
While it is easy to imagine how an adventurous teen might relish a trip that cuts off communication with the parental units for a couple of weeks, and gives them lots of fodder for college application essays, we wondered how parents felt about letting their teens take this kind of trip on their own. When it comes to making the decision to send your teen on an extended service learning trip parents need to evaluate a number of factors including the company’s track record and experience, the maturity of trip leaders, and the organization’s approach to safety. ARCC offers parents assurances on all fronts.
Time for some fun, courtesy ARCC
A typical ARCC trip leader is 24 years old and has considerable experience leading trips and working with teenagers. ARCC notes that many trip leaders are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). One parent of a past camper mentions, “The care and commitment to safety that ARCC provides is beyond any parent’s expectation.”
Another parent said she debated letting her child participate but said she “ took a lot of comfort in knowing the history of the company and the commitment of its owner and founder” She said she also learned a lot about the program by meeting an ARCC representative at a local information session in New York.
International and domestic service learning trips such as those provided by ARCC can help teens build self-confidence and broaden their horizons. They can also provide the teen with a solid base of experience on which to base college application essays and job interviews. If you have been considering this type of experience for you teen this summer there is still room on a number of ARCC trips but departures begin as soon as school gets out so you need to register soon. We’d love to hear your comments and thoughts on sending your teen on this type of trip.
Disclosure
ARCC sponsored this review and provided contacts and pictures. Travel with Teens and Tweens agreed to publish this review because we felt it would be of interest to our readers. We retained full editorial control per our usual policies as described here: Teen ‘n Tween Approved Reviews.
