Sara’s Scholarship is now available to outing club students statewide. The annual award of $1,000 covers the cost of an immersive outdoor experience for a Maine high school student, and is designed to spark personal growth and inspiration outside. The deadline for Sara’s Scholarship is Sunday, Feb. 14, according to a news release from Teens to Trails.

In 2005, Carol and Bob Leone tragically lost their 15-year-old daughter, Sara, in a car accident. To honor Sara’s memory, her love of the outdoors, and to offer a way for students of Sara’s age to have access to outdoor experiences, they founded Teens to Trails.

Sara’s love of the outdoors played a key role in the person she had become. From her many outdoor experiences, she grew comfortable with herself and her place in the world. It gave her an unstoppable self-confidence that drove her to work hard, to play hard, and to achieve. The way she explored the natural world became the manner in which she led her life — with passion and compassion.

Sara’s Scholarship is an investment in a teen’s connection to the outdoors. The financial reward enables an immersive outdoor experience that sparks personal growth and a sense of belonging in the natural world. Cash awards are made up to $1,000 to pay for the cost of an outdoor leadership trip (the remaining fees are donated by the program partner), a community project or a self designed outdoor experience.

Any student member of a high school outing club that is currently registered with Teens to Trails is eligible. Experiences must be completed before the start of the next academic year, assumed to be September.

Recipients of Sara’s Scholarship are required to share the story of their experiences through media such as photo essay, public presentation, video or a written story by February. Teens to Trails has the right to use these reports to promote the scholarship.

For more information, visit teenstotrails.org.

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