The People Behind the Adventures Series: Heidi O'Donnell

Behind every thriving Outdoor Club is a teacher who shows up - not because it's required, but because they believe in what happens when students get outside together. As Teens to Trails celebrates 20 years of connecting Maine youth with the outdoors, we're taking time this year to honor the advisors at the heart of that work. Every other month, we'll introduce you to one of them.

This blog is part of our year-long series honoring the advisors behind Maine's Outdoor Clubs.

Heidi O'Donnell has spent 30 years helping students find confidence -- first as a National Board Certified arts educator at Belfast Area High School, and for the past four years, on the trail as advisor of the Outdoor Adventures Club. A lifelong Scout with a section hike of the Appalachian Trail in progress, Heidi has a gift for meeting students where they are and pushing them just a little further than they thought they could go.

What's your favorite piece of outdoor gear, and why? A positive attitude! While gear is essential, a positive mindset can put a great spin on almost any situation. If I had to pick a physical item, it would be a bandana. To an artist, it's a blank canvas; to a hiker, it's a Swiss Army knife. It's a sweatband, a cooling neck wrap, a pot holder for the camp stove, or an emergency bandage in a pinch. It simply has endless uses.

What's your favorite outdoor space in Maine? The trail. I love hiking!

What's one small moment with your outdoor club that's stayed with you? It's impossible to choose just one. If anything, it's the traditions we've built: "mama muffins," ocean swimming in October, "it's just around the corner" hikes, blowing bubbles, and leaving wild stories in trail journals about disappearing students or bear attacks. I cherish the memories of rambunctious driving adventures and those quiet moments under the shooting stars.

How has your club evolved since you first started working with Teens to Trails? Our group has been a Teens to Trails member since I took over the Outdoor Adventures Club four years ago. Previously, the club was fairly low-key; students mostly walked into town for ice cream. I think they were a bit surprised when I stepped in, and we immediately pivoted to five-mile walks and October camping! Since then, we've expanded to include Gardens Aglow, winter camping, indoor rock climbing, and trips to Schoodic. Through Teens to Trails, we've enjoyed nighttime snowshoeing sponsored by L.L.Bean, the October Rendezvous, Day of Play at Hidden Valley Nature Center, skiing at Black Mountain, and white-water rafting with Adventure Bound. We now participate in an adventure every month of the school year -- a few of which are a direct result of Teens to Trails opportunities!

What does being outside offer students that the classroom often can't? The great outdoors isn't just a break from fluorescent lights; it's a completely different neurological and social environment. While the classroom is designed for focused, linear learning, the outdoors offers a multisensory, non-linear experience. It hits developmental "sweet spots" like risk assessment, adaptability, and collaborative problem-solving.

In what ways has being part of the Teens to Trails community changed what's possible for your club? We would struggle to do what we do without their support. First and foremost, the grants support students who might not otherwise be able to participate. Additionally, access to structured programs is a massive help with logistics. As a full-time teacher, the capacity to plan and generate programming can be a struggle -- these opportunities provide a huge lift for us. I also value the Youth Advisory Council and feel fortunate to have had two students participate! We've also benefited from the Gear Share, which allowed my students to ice skate -- most for the first time -- and cross-country ski. My students have even walked away from sponsored functions with backpacking packs, clothing, and shoes. One year, we even scored a pop-up tent!

What do you hope students carry with them long after they've been involved with their outdoor club? I hope they stop seeing the environment as a "backdrop" and start seeing it as a community they belong to. In a world of high-speed scrolling, nature moves slowly. I hope they carry the ability to sit still and actually notice the moment. Above all, I want them to recognize their own self-reliance. There is a specific confidence that comes from being caught in the rain, getting lost and finding your way back, or surviving a questionable mac-and-cheese dinner. I love that many have gone on to create their own adventures -- one even pursued an outdoor education degree. Whether it's a text about a recent ski trip or a visit from a graduate years later, it always starts with: "Remember when..."

Stay tuned -- every other month this year, we'll be introducing you to another advisor who is helping shape what's possible for Outdoor Clubs across Maine.