School, Youth and Community
EXAMPLE GROUP TYPES
- Elementary School Classes (grades 5 and older)
- Middle School Classes
- High School Classes
- Teacher & School Faculty Groups
- Student Government/Leadership Groups
- School Athletic Teams
- Physics Classes
- Peer Mentor Programs
- Graduation Events
- All-night Parties/Lock-ins
- Religious Groups
- Scouts Groups
- University & College Orientation Programs
- Summer Camps
- Adventure Education Programs
- Home School Groups
Whether focused on serious educational and treatment objectives or purely on group recreation, the school, youth, and community group programs offered at ArborTrek are designed to educate, entertain, and inspire.
The options presented in this guide provide broad progressions that have proved successful for thousands of school groups. The descriptions should enable group leaders to select a program that will best fit their needs. After choosing a school program option or options, group leaders should arrange to meet with an ArborTrek Course Manager to complete a needs assessment, develop a program, and establish specific program objectives. The more we know about your group prior to the program, the more the experience can be tailored to its needs.
If none of the standard options in this guide fit your group, please let us know and we will work to design a custom program for you.
FOOD, ACCOMODATIONS AND MEETING SPACE
Groups are welcome to bring food and beverages with them or our staff can assist you in catering the event. Through our partnership with Smugglers’ Notch Resort and other lodges and hotels in the Stowe area, we are happy to assist you and your group in finding lodging and meeting space that meet your needs.
To check availability and pricing or more more information, please call click on the Call Now buttons below.
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ADVENTURE-BASED TEAM BUILDING
So-called “Group Initiatives”, involving real and imaginary ground-based obstacles, present physical, mental, and emotional challenges that invite a group to explore teamwork strategies and demonstrate for themselves the importance of planning, cooperation, and communication.
The success of a school group in meeting the challenges of an initiatives sequence will depend not only upon individual strengths but also upon creativity, tenacity, strategic planning, shared risk taking, the allocation of resources, and the ability to create a climate in which students are able to trust each other and in which each student’s contributions are recognized and valued. In the process, students should discover their collective power to meet the ongoing challenge of work in other settings. Whatever the focus of a school group program, nearly every group comes away from the experience with a renewed sense of community and common purpose.
JUMPSTART TEAM BUILDING PROGRAM
With the focus on strengthening relationships and improving team problem-solving, our Jumpstart Team Building Program includes a series of fast-paced, ground-level team challenges (group initiatives). Challenges are followed by short discussions to help participants gain new insights, strategize, action plan, and to celebrate success. This program is ideal for groups that want to:
- Build relationships
- Incorporate new members into the team
- Establish a set of standards for new teams
- Create a more collaborative working environment
- Learn new team skills
- Assess team performance under adverse conditions
- Explore new team strategies
- Assess team dynamics and leadership potentional
- Improve team problem-solving
Although activities vary according to participant and group needs, groups should expect to complete a series of outdoor, adventure-based group challenges interspersed with action planning and skill development sessions. Indoor programs are available off-site or at our site during off-peak season. Approximately 60% of workshop time is spent engaged in activities, and 40% of time is spent reflecting, analyzing, and creating action plans. Discussion at the end of the event is spent helping connect learned skills back to the workplace.
Jumpstart programs can be run in half-day or full-day sessions, or combined with one of our team bonding programs. On-site meeting space and food service can also be arranged.
ARBORTREK TEAM CHALLENGE
The ArborTrek Team Challenge pits workgroups or intact work teams against the clock to complete tasks, strategize, network with other groups, solve challenges, and score as many points as possible to further the entire organization. This high-paced, friendly competition takes teams through the woods from challenges on the ground, on the courts, and even into the air. Each team is provided a backpack with clues, missions, and resources. The Goal: score as many points as possible in a limited amount of time. A team’s success at the ArborTrek Team Challenge will depend on their ability to communicate effectively, strategize, pool their resources, and work collectively to complete the mental and physical challenges.
Designed to meet the needs of your team or an entire workgroup, the ArborTrek Team Challenge can be built toward a variety of outcomes and is a great addition to any corporate event or celebration where the goal is to encourage networking, incorporate new members, celebrate team successes, learn team skills, and re-energize. Time will be spent at the end of each event capturing and sharing learning.
Programs can be run as a half-day or full-day event and can be combined with one of our team bonding programs. On-site meeting space and food service can also be arranged.
TEAM BONDING EVENTS
Our award-winning, eco-adventure activities, including the Zip Line Canopy Tour, Treetop Obstacle Course, Climbing Adventure, and ArborTrek Team Challenge, provide novel opportunities for new or established corporate teams or groups to come together and share in a common adventure. Each event consist of lively, dynamic, eco-friendly activities designed to motivate, inspire, and create lasting memories. The Zip Line Canopy Tour and ArborTrek Team Challenge are offered year-round and are recommended for groups with a team or corporate group that spans athletic abilities and heath and fitness levels. The ArborTrek Team Challenge can be run on-site or off-site. Run as stand-alone activities or combine with a meeting to energize your next off-site.
SCHOOL FACULTY PROGRAMS
ADVENTURE CHALLENGE IS FOR TEACHERS, TOO!
Since 1994, ArborTrek Canopy Adventures’ President, Michael Smith, has provided adventure challenge programming to students in schools throughout southeast Michigan, eastern New York, northern Ohio, and, now, northern Vermont and Central Tennessee. During this time, programs he has managed have delivered adventure experiences to more than one-hundred-eighty thousand students. A great many teachers and school administrators are familiar with the benefits of these programs to their student populations. Fewer know that the same programs can yield equally valuable results for the school staff who regularly bring their students to our and other courses.
TRAINING PROGRAMS & IN-SERVICE WORKSHOPS
Over the years we have designed programs to meet a variety of staff development needs for school personnel. These offerings can be presented in the context of a staff retreat, on-site as part of an in-service day, in open enrollment classes at our own facilities, or to self-organized groups at a site of their own choosing. Here is a sampling of what we have to offer.
- Team Building for Teachers and Staff. A half-day or full-day program of group initiatives for adults instead of kids.
- Adventure Challenge Awareness Session. A full-day hands-on introduction to adventure challenge programming with students.
- Facilitator Training. Instruction in basic to advanced facilitating skills for low and high element challenge course programs.
- Curricular Development. Instruction and consultation for teachers who wish to include adventure challenge in the school curriculum.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
GROUP LEADERS, TEACHERS & CHAPERONES
Spectators and chaperones are welcome to accompany groups. Teachers and school personnel accompanying students on school sponsored field trips are free of charge. Adult chaperones are welcome to accompany groups during a session of teambuilding and observe the treetop obstacle course and climbing from the ground. For non-profit groups, one chaperone or group leader per every 8 minors may accompany the participants on the treetop obstacle course and zip line canopy tour free of charge. Group leaders, chaperones, and accompanying staff must meet all tour requirements and sign a participant waiver before entering the course.
PAYMENT
For groups of less than 16 participants, payment is due at the time of booking. For groups of 16 or more participants, a deposit of 50% is required at the time of booking. The remaining balance is due prior to the start of the program. For groups of 50 or more, a more detailed payment schedule may be required.
We understand how challenging it can be to plan, arrange, and execute a large group function. In situations where numbers increase, we will do our best to accommodate groups. If several members are absent on the day of the program, we will forgive the balance for up to 10% of the group for groups of 16 or more participants.
Payment can be made by Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express, or by check prior to the start of the program. Groups with non-profit status who are exempt from paying sales tax should forward a tax exempt letter in advance of the program.
Staff working on our Zip Line Canopy Tour and Treetop Obstacle Course generate a fair portion of their pay from gratuities. An 8% gratuity will be automatically added to the final bill for groups of 16 or more participating in either the Treetop Obstacle Course or Zip Line Canopy Tour.
Tour Requirements & Policies
requirements, restrictions, policies
faqs
frequently asked questions
Participant Agreement
must be signed by all participants
MAP & DIRECTIONS
ARBORTREK SMUGGLERS' NOTCH, VERMONT
ArborTrek Smugglers' Notch
1239 Edwards Rd, Jeffersonville, VT 05464
Smugglers’ Notch Resort – 0.5 miles – 2 minutes
Stowe Mountain Lodge – 6.2 miles – 12 minutes
Stowe, Vermont – 13.6 miles – 21 minutes
Burlington, Vermont – 41.0 miles – 50 minutes
Montpelier, Vermont – 34.6 miles – 1 hour
Montreal, Quebec – 93 miles – 2 hours
Albany, New York – 180 miles – 3.75 hours
Boston, Massachusetts – 211 miles – 4 hours