Aspen

Wilderness Skills * Mindfulness * Project-Based Learning

 

Full Day Nature Immersion Program for Ages 11-13*

September through May, Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:30am to 3:00pm

ABOUT ASPEN

At Aspen, tweens and teens deepen their knowledge of themselves, each other and the natural landscapes they are immersed in. Participants are encouraged to dig into a variety of projects that engage their interests and build new skills. Opportunities will abound to practice and perfect wilderness skills like fire and shelter building, whittling, tool use, plant and animal identification, foraging and more. Kids in the Aspen cohort begin to take on more responsibility for their camp space and time management. Each day includes job assignments, such as building and maintaining the campfire, being the time keeper, managing our Leave No Trace practice and even maintaining the outhouse. There is also even more focus on social development within the cohort as Guides facilitate team challenges that encourage participants to step outside comfort zones and build self awareness, leadership and cooperation. Activities such as our daily Sit Spot practice build mindfulness while encouraging a deep reverence for the natural world. Aspen has approximately a 9:1 Child to Staff ratio with a maximum of 18 kids.

The program will be outdoors, rain, snow or shine unless weather is extreme and potentially dangerous (such as high winds, low wind chill, low temps and steady rain, or unsafe driving conditions), which may result in cancellation.

Choose to attend 1, 2 or 3 days per week (Tuesdays, Wednesday and/or Thursdays) from 9:30am to 3:00pm for the school year. We encourage families to enroll children for 2 days if at all possible as this provides continuity and stability and helps preteens become more immersed within the program, social dynamics, skill building and activities. Often kids seem to "settle in" on their second day of the week, finding their groove more quickly. 

Aftercare is available from end of program to 4:00.

Aspen Outing Club is also available for this age group. We travel around the greater Freeport area on different adventures!

*We recognize that children don’t all develop at the same rate. For children who are on the line between age groups, our staff will work with parents to make an assessment as to which group seems most appropriate based on personality, ability and group dynamics.



 

APPLICATION & ENROLLMENT 

Current Families: Emails will be sent out with enrollment information and instructions in late February.

New/Interested Families: Please join a Tour (if you cannot attend a scheduled tour, please email transform@throughthetrees.org). An application will be available to prospective families after they have toured. Submitting an application doesn't guarantee enrollment.



 

PROGRAM TUITION (2024-25)

We offer the option to pay tuition in monthly payments, due the 1st of each month (September through May) and automatically charged to the card used at registration. 

A $50 application fee is required for new participants. A $15 registration fee for each day of the week you are enrolling your child, plus 4.5% (of total tuition) processing fee is due at the time of enrollment. Both are non-refundable.

#Days/Week 9-Month Tuition
One $2,295
Two $4,590
Three $6,885

Family Discount: When enrolling more than one child at TTT, receive 10% off.



 

SCHOLARSHIPS

We are committed to supporting and creating a community that is reflective of Maine's economic diversity. A limited number of Scholarships are available to families who are unable to pay full tuition cost. We encourage you to complete a scholarship application if full tuition pricing creates a financial hardship. 

 


 

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you must withdraw your child from the program a 30-day notification is required. If at least 30 days notice is given, the remaining monthly payments will be cancelled. If less than 30-days notice is given, the next month's payment is required, and all remaining tuition payments thereafter will be cancelled. Reduced Enrollment: This policy applies to reducing the number of days of enrollment. (ex. enrolling on Tuesday and Thursday, then cancelling Thursday). Notice of withdrawal/ must be emailed to transform@throughthetrees.org. The registration fee of $15 per day of enrollment and 4.5% system processing fee paid at the time of enrollment are non-refundable. 




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"Children are born with a sense of wonder and an affinity for nature. Properly cultivated, these values can mature into ecological literacy, and eventually into sustainable patterns of living."
-Zenobia Barlow

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