Adventure Links

Adventure Links (AL) is an [http://find.acacamps.org/cgi/details_va.cgi?id=7368 ACA-Accredited] experiential education organization located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Paris, VA near Washington, DC. With an emphasis on youth development, Adventure Links facilitates summer camps, high adventure outings and team building programs to schools, youth organizations, corporations and adult groups in the local metro area as well as the neighboring states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

History

Adventure Links was founded by Anna and Austin Birch in 1994. With their combined twenty years of experience educating youth, they set to develop an organization that incorporated personal growth and discovery with an appreciation for the outdoors. Their endeavor has since experienced growth itself, and directors Dave and Shelby Boynton contributed their knowledge to the company in the fall of 2005. Both had graduated from the [http://www.shhs.unh.edu/kin_oe/oe_profiles_undergrad.html University of New Hampshire’s Outdoor Education program] , and incorporated these four years of leading and organizing trips into the Adventure Links administration.
To support the mission of Adventure Links, additional staff members are evaluated and expected to reflect the same ideals as the founders. Often staff are educated with the philosophies of outdoor education and organizational behavior and have previous experience working with youth. Adventure Links has hired individuals from college programs such as UNH, Prescott College, Brevard College, FSU, PSU, Unity College, Oberlin College and Johns Hopkins University.

Current

Adventure Links has continued to expand its reach by fostering relationships with local businesses and organizations. Anna Birch has since become a member of the Loudoun Environmental Stewardship Alliance (LESA) and the [http://www.eonetwork.org/ Entrepreneurs Organization (EO)] , career advancements that illustrate the foundation of adventure within the company.

Recently, an affiliation with [http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/weekend/cnv_wend.jsp REI Adventures] has grown Adventure Links’ climbing program, with the addition of basic rock climbing courses for adults through REI’s website. Continued involvement with local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops has garnered Adventure Links the title of Girl Scouts of the USA Approved Vendor, allowing scouts to work towards adventure merit badges during overnights and day programs. In addition, Adventure Links has maintained contracts with regional public and private schools, including Northern Virginia private boarding school Foxcroft School [ [http://www.foxcroft.org/common/inc_newsdetail.asp?newsid=406801&L1=1&L2=3&brief=1] Foxcroft School. "Adventures Links Teaches Students Teamwork and Trust." September 5, 2007.] . Such programs typically consist of high impact team building overnights and adventure activities.

While Adventure Links is looking to increase its prominence regionally, they have taken measures to reduce their impact globally and launched a Going Green campaign in 2007. Administrative measures include printing marketing efforts materials on partially recycled paper and completing registration for camps online, making it 100% paperless. New programs focused on harboring respect for the environment are proposed for summer, including an environmental stewardship overnight, and traditional practices of Leave No Trace are continually emphasized within staff and campers alike.

Programming

Summer Camps

Adventure Links offers both adventure camps and custom contract programs. During the summer months, they run day, overnight, and expedition camps for youth ages eight to seventeen and have approximately 2,500 campers for these trips. Adventure Links’ staff members lead week-long programs with comprehensive itineraries including rock climbing, kayaking, caving, team building and survival skills. Most camps are run in the Virginia area, while the expeditions travel more extensively, including North Carolina and New England programs.

Contract Programs

Adventure Links offers contract programs to corporations, adult group, schools, youth organizations, scout troops and church groups. Contract programs run year round, and are developed with the organizations’ goals as a guideline. Pre-program development looks to address the groups’ needs, preparing itineraries that range from strictly adventurous to improving communication and resolving conflicts. Adventure Links has worked with schools and youth organizations including at-risk youth and special needs children.

ee also

* Outdoor Education

References

External links

* [http://www.adventurelinks.net Adventure Links]
* [http://find.acacamps.org/finding_a_camp.php American Camp Association]