Passion, Inspiration and a Cause: An Alumni’s Story

August 1st, 2010 amy
Posted in ARCC Company News | No Comments »

Wondering what your adventure might inspire you to do?  It’s a limitless as the world we live in.  One of our ARCC alumni really took to heart what he saw and has made amazing strides toward helping Tanzania after his adventure in Africa.  We congratulate Patrick Sheehan on all that he has done, and all that we know he will do.  Take a minute, read our Q&A with Patrick Sheehan, ARCC Alumni and founder of Cure Tanzania.  Then reflect on what drives you, what fuels your passion and see if there isn’t a little something you want to do to make our world better!

ARCC:  What about your ARCC adventure in 2009 inspired you to do something more?
PS: I think that my ARCC adventure in 2009 helped me understand that, even though I am young, I can already impact the lives of others. After our work in Tanzania (building the soccer field, and painting the schools), I saw a genuine sense of joy and happiness in both children and adults. My realization of the magnitude my impact had inspired me to do something more.

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Thoughts From the Inside – ARCC Leader Training

July 12th, 2010 amy
Posted in Get To Know ARCC, Leader Training 2010 | No Comments »

June 14, 2010
Hey ARCC Leaders! Welcome to staff training 2010. It is going to be a GREAT next few days! It is going to be crazy busy and crazy fun.  Josh and I are excited to get to know you, and feel free to come to us with any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc.

In the short time we’ve already spent together, it is clear there is a lot of creativity and talents: double-joins, out of control tongues, other languages and event unicycles. Woot Woot! Read the rest of this entry »

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Leader Creed

July 7th, 2010 amy
Posted in Leader Training 2010 | No Comments »

At our leader training 2010, we asked our leaders to track their thoughts so we could give students and parents insight into who would be guiding our adventures this season.  One of the things that literally jumped off the page at us was this Leader Creed written down and signed by our leaders.  We thought it would be really interesting for you to read!

Group Leader Creed:

  • Open communication
  • Selflessness
  • Compassion
  • Willingness to be out of comfort zone – sense of adventure
  • Support
  • Awareness both culturally and within group
  • Appreciation and respect for others
  • Environmental awareness
  • Accountability
  • Honesty
  • Good listeners
  • Include everyone
  • Self alliance
  • Responsibility
  • Vulnerability
  • Curiosity
  • Have FUN!
  • Treat others the way you want to be treated
  • Open to learning new things
  • Growth
  • Openness
  • Flexibility
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Where in the World is the ARCC Duck?

July 7th, 2010 amy
Posted in ARCC Company News, Get To Know ARCC | No Comments »

We all remember “Where’s Waldo” – the elusive, ever fashionable, spectacle-wearing character that we all as teens searched and searched for in impossibly busy photos?  Well, at ARCC we have decided to create our own version of Waldo – the ARCC Duck!

No, he will not be wearing jeans or a striped t-shirt, but  the lovable, laughable, not-so-cuddly and sometimes squeaky creature is the new mascot on our trips!   One of the most traveled ducks in the world, the ARCC Duck will travel in style, with each group, and experience all the ‘quacky’ moments our staff and students do!  

We will be posting photos regularly of our staff and students on our trips this summer.  So, all you duck-lovers out there (we know who you are)…be on the lookout!  Let us know if you see him! Quack on.

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Meet the Leader Series: Eric Brown

June 15th, 2010 amy
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Eric first started leading trips in 2006, when he served as a guide for freshman orientation groups while earning a degree in Anthropology from Princeton University. After completing a NOLS Himalaya Mountaineering Course, Eric knew that he wanted to have the same impact on students that his instructors had on him. He believes strongly in the power of the wilderness, which helps students achieve things they never thought possible.

staff_ericOne of my favorite ARCC memories was on the last night of the Hawaii trip last summer. We stuffed ourselves with the celebratory final feast, and then played games until we collapsed under a sky of stars on the beautiful deserted beach. Our group grew to be more than just friends over the course of the trip, we were family, and nobody could bring themselves to say goodnight, knowing this would be our last time all together listening to the sound of the ocean and feeling the warm breeze of a Hawaiian night.”

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Meet the Leader Series: Erin Sanborn

June 9th, 2010 amy
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Erin’s life was forever changed on her ARCC Western Adventure when she was 16, where she gained leadership skills, confidence, and friendships that she still values today. Erin also participated on the Australia/Fiji trip, which furthered her love of travel and discovery of new cultures. After college she returned to ARCC as a trip leader, sharing the same passion for the outdoors that she learned as an ARCC student. Erin is currently enjoying one last winter in Colorado working as an adaptive ski instructor before beginning law school in Seattle next fall.

staff_erin“The amazing group of teenagers on my Ecuador Service trip was excited but anxious for our service project in Pioculin, a remote Amazonian village. We were the first of the four ARCC groups to work on the project of building the school teacher a home. The teacher had to walk two hours each way to and from school before our groups built him this home! The four days we spent building in Pioculin were surreal, our already tight-knit group grew even closer, and as we leveled the ground and put up the frame for his house, the sound of laughter, teamwork, and encouragement resonated throughout the air. It was truly amazing and inspirational to see what happened in the four days our group was there, and all of our students felt extremely proud of their accomplishments. The village and teacher’s appreciation for our hard work was not unnoticed and they thanked us with a festive party full of Ecuadorian desserts and music. It was a night I am sure nobody will ever forget.”

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Meet the Leader Series: Zach Gilford

June 7th, 2010 amy
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Zach’s summers leading ARCC students help prepare him for his starring role on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” as a high school junior. Zach plays the Dillon Panther’s quarterback, Matt Saracen, on this popular prime-time show that airs Friday nights. Zach earned a degree in Performing Arts and Education from Northwestern University. Each summer he returns to ARCC where he utilizes his extraordinary talent as an outdoor educator!  Zach has been with us since 2003 and we couldn’t be happier to have him!

staff_zach“One of my favorite ARCC memories was trekking up over an Alaskan tundra pass. We were greeted by a herd of caribou and views of glaciated river valleys below. We looked down to see the highlight of our adventure, a snowfield. Our group spent the afternoon glissading through this snowfield, laughing all the while. Traveling off trail for the past six days, it was clear that we had this playground all to ourselves.”

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Meet the Leader Series: Sophia Weeks

June 3rd, 2010 amy
Posted in Get To Know ARCC | No Comments »

Sophia is one of our newest family members, starting in 2009.  She came to ARCC with a strong background in international studies and extensive travel experience around the globe. Currently completing her degree at University of New Hampshire in Political Science and International Affairs, with a minor in Spanish, Sophia spent the Fall interning at a think tank in Washington DC. This position gave her the experience to write about and focus in on US-Latin American relations. Sophia’s passion for international affairs, love for the outdoors, and experience working with teenagers gives her the foundation for her proven success as an ARCC Trip Leader.

staff_sophia“One of my favorite ARCC memories comes from a night we spent in a remote Maasai village in Tanzania where one chief, his 32 wives, 128 children, and 100+ cattle lived. We had arrived a few hours earlier, and after a truly cultural experience of slaughtering a cow with some of the warriors, followed by a hearty dinner of… cow meat, we were swept up by the whole village into an evening of song and dance. The image that will always stick in my mind is watching across the fire pit as, hand-in-hand with beautifully robbed and jeweled Maasai women and men, my teenagers hopped in the traditional Maasai dancing to the singing voices. There couldn’t have been a greater cultural divide between the people gathered, but in that moment, even language couldn’t separate the smiling faces.”

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Meet the Leader Series: Carson Christiano

May 27th, 2010 amy
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Carson just can’t get enough of us!  As a high school student, Carson participated on ARCC’s Australia/Fiji program. This experience not only sparked her interest in the outdoors, but also gave her a new passion for world travel and cultural exploration.  She became one of our leaders in 2005.  After graduating from Northwestern University in 2005, she spent two years teaching English in Thailand. Carson began a Masters of Public Policy program at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2007.

staff_carson“One of my very favorite ARCC memories took place during our last night on Amantani, a remote inhabited island in Lake Titicaca, Peru. We had grown close to our host families there, and our entire group was sad to say farewell to the beautiful men, women, and children whom so graciously shared their lives and customs with us for three nights. For our final celebration, our hosts dressed us each in authentic and colorful Andean attire and put on a spectacular dance and music show, giving us the taste of real Peruvian culture. Our entire group beamed with smiles, realizing that this was an experience most are not lucky enough to experience in a lifetime.”

Looking forward to seeing you this summer, Carson!

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Meet the Leader Series: Ashley Hartz

May 25th, 2010 amy
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Ashley has been with ARCC since 2005!  Her broad background in adventure education and community service throughout the world includes volunteering at an education center for migrant children in India and completing a NOLS Australia Outback course. Her vast experience paired with her energy and enthusiasm for teaching students makes her a strong positive role model. A graduate of Wellesley College, Ashley recently moved to San Francisco where she is earning her Masters in Education from the University of San Francisco.

Memorable moment for Ashley?  staff_ashley“My group was preparing to go to the tiny Fijian island of Nawaisomo where we would live with the local community and complete a service project. My students were definitely a bit nervous about the cultural differences, but as our small, wooden outboard boat chugged up to the island, we saw the entire village crowded on the beach waiting for us, waving, with the biggest smiles I have ever seen. Their warm welcome was just the beginning, and, for the next two weeks, we felt like this remote South Pacific island was home.”

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