Outdoor Club Leadership Conference 2023

Collage of outdoor group activities including a speaker demonstrating axe throwing, people sitting at picnic tables, individuals kayaking on a lake, food serving at a picnic, and groups socializing at a campfire circle during a youth outdoor leadership conference.

This annual convening has taken on a new name as we focus on providing Outdoor Club Leaders with the skills, network, and tools necessary for a successful school year. This year’s theme is improving the whole body health of Maine teens by creating fun, inclusive, non-competitive outdoor experiences.

The conference is open to current or interested Outdoor Club advisors, we are not offering a student learning track this year. We hope this offers the opportunity to build deeper connections within our network, and with the generous partners who are offering workshops throughout the day. We hope you’ll join us!

This conference qualifies you for six contact hours. You will receive a certificate after the conference.

2023 Schedule

2023 Speakers

Group of people sitting outdoors near a lake, engaged in a discussion or workshop, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.

Running your outdoor club - recruitment, training & student leadership

Miles Bisher & Samantha Andrews
Miles Bisher, Outdoor Club Advisor- Tips & Tricks

Risk management in the outdoors

Gerben Scherpbier, gerben.scherpbier@gmail.com
Risk Management Tool Kit

DEI within your outdoor club- connecting ALL Maine teens to the outdoors

OUT Maine - Katie Lutts , katie@outmaine.org

Maine Association for New Americans- Moon Nguany, moon@mana-maine.org

Katie Palano Consulting- Katie Palano, kpalano@gmail.com

Mental Health and the benefits of time spent outdoors

Olivia Griset, olivia@meeassociation.org
Maine Environmental Education Association

Outdoor Club Budgeting and Fundraising

Alicia Heyburn, alicia@teenstotrails.org
Letter to Potential OC Sponsors

Overnight Camping 101

Megan-Mack Nicholson, mnicholson@hyde.edu

Canoe Instruction

Jeff McCabe jeffmccabe77@gmail.com, Christopher Corey christophercorey@gmail.com
Maine Canoe Symposium

A group of people sitting in a circle on benches and chairs outdoors in front of a black wooden building, surrounded by tall trees and forest, on a clear day.

A group of people sitting at a long outdoor wooden table in a forested area, engaging in a communal activity with a woman handing out items.

Group of people sitting at picnic tables outdoors near a lake, surrounded by trees, with some standing and some reading or talking, on a sunny day.

Registration includes:

Teens to Trails welcome kit packed with useful information to guide your Outdoor Club on a year of great adventures
Lunch
All sessions
Resources and guides provided by our partners
Pre-conference fireside chat Thursday evening from 6-9 p.m.

Overnight Accommodations

Are you interested in learning more about Teens to Trails? Want to learn how to train for the Educational Trip Leader Permit? Are you interested in connecting with other outdoor leaders, and learning more about their clubs? If so, consider joining us on Thursday night!

Overnight accommodations are just $10 per person for a bunk in one of the many cabins at the Y Camp.

Enjoy an evening around the fire with friends, new and old, and fall asleep to the soothing sound of loons on Lake Cobbosseecontee.

Kitchen space is available to make your evening and morning meals, or show off your campfire cooking skills!

Group of five young women gather around a campfire in a forested area, roasting marshmallows on sticks. They are dressed in outdoor clothing, and there is a rustic cabin in the background under a blue sky with some clouds.