Trekkers Students Complete Life Skills Course

Trekkers 10th grade students’ Business Scavenger Hunt at VStv - Life Skills portion of the Cross-America Trekkers Program.  Students pictured in front row, from left to right: Jeanna Fagundo, Amiah Marquis, Lex Marquis and Ella Finger. VStv staff pictured in back row, from left to right: Tyler Southard, Zach Miller, Jessica Jones and Bethany Ricciardi. 

Trekkers’ 10th grade students recently completed a four-week Life Skills Course designed to help them gain professional skills and knowledge through mock job interviews at area businesses. The Life Skills Course is part of the Cross-America Trekkers program that is offered each year to high school sophomores. This year, professionals from Camden National Bank, First National Bank, Fisher Engineering, Glen Cove Dental Associates, Target Marketing, VStv, and Dream Local hosted mock interviews for Trekkers students at their workplaces.

Trekkers extends their sincere appreciation to all of the businesses, individuals and volunteers that worked with these 10th grade students and the Trekkers staff on this Life Skills Course program.  The support of the business community is vital to the continued success of our programming endeavors.

The Life Skills Course includes a workshop in résumé-writing, professional etiquette, appropriate dress, self-confidence and answering interview questions. Each student created a résumé to share with the participating interviewers. They practiced interview skills by conducting a Business Scavenger Hunt to the following community business participants: Dream Local, Rheal Day Spa, Distinctive Tile & Design, Island Institute, Target Marketing, Grasshopper Shop, and Salt Air Gallery. During this experience, students walked around Rockland Main Street in small teams, and interviewed different business employees about their daily work routines.  On the day of their professional mock interviews, the students dressed professionally, traveled to local businesses and participated in a 20-minute mock interview there as if they were applying for employment at their assigned worksite.

Reflecting on the program, Program Manager Hannah Tannebring stated, “It is remarkable to see the boost in confidence in students after each part of the Life Skills Course. When students were walking into their Resume Workshop in early fall, many of them didn’t believe they had any foundation built in their professional lives. As soon as they started putting experiences on paper, from Key Club to consecutive years of playing sports, to volunteering in our surrounding communities, to consecutive years of challenging themselves in honors classes, it was clear that they started viewing their experiences in high school a little more seriously, and with pride. As soon as students started walking around Main Street in Rockland for the Business Scavenger Hunt, their confidence in speaking with professionals they’ve never met before started blossoming. Finally, once students came out of their professional mock interview, they were relieved that the experience was not as scary as they thought, and that they were viewed as confident, budding professionals by their interviewers, and left feeling more prepared for their next real interview.”


Having completed this prerequisite requirement, Trekkers’ sophomore classes are now preparing for 10-day Cross-America Trekkers expeditions that take place this summer.  Along with caring adult mentors from the community, both groups will explore the Rocky Mountains region of Colorado. They will explore several national parks, such as Mesa Verde, Arches, and Canyonlands National Park, and learn about the flora, fauna and environmental issues in the area. They will also complete a service project and participate in a cultural exchange during their educational expeditions.

Trekkers is a non-profit, youth-serving organization focused on connecting young people with caring adults through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure-based education. For more information about the Cross-America Trekkers Program or Trekkers, please call (207) 594-5095 or visit www.trekkers.org.