Trekkers to Host Talk on December 18 with PEAR Program Founder, Dr. Gil Noam, on Measuring Student Strengths and Resiliencies

Dr. Gil Noam, PEAR Founder & Director

Rockland, Maine - Trekkers is hosting a talk by Dr. Gil G. Noam, Ed. D., Ph.D., founder and director of the Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency (PEAR) at Harvard University. The presentation will take place on Thursday, December 18 at the Farnsworth Museum’s Gamble Auditorium from 6 – 8pm. PEAR is a nationally recognized program that partners with youth-serving organizations, helping them understand and better respond to their students’ social, emotional and behavioral needs. Through PEAR, Dr. Noam is working with many partners throughout the Northeast and nation including Boston Public Schools, Boston College School of Social Work, City Year, YMCA and many more.

Trekkers partnered with PEAR last year to help the organization begin to tailor programming and
more effectively support the social and emotional well-being of the students they serve. Through this collaboration, Trekkers has begun to integrate PEAR's assessment tool called the "Holistic Student Assessment" (HSA) into their organizational structure. The HSA will allow Trekkers to monitor four core developmental needs in students: Active Engagement (engaging the world physically), Assertiveness (expressing voice and choice), Belonging (social connection and relationships) and Reflection (thought and meaning-making).

The HSA results will provide the Trekkers staff with important information about a student's socio-emotional balance, resiliency assets and/or areas to bolster. The organization will use the HSA to better understand a student’s strengths earlier in their Trekkers experience. The information from the assessment will also help Program Managers identify ways to build upon each student’s resiliencies throughout their time as a Trekker.

Dr. Noam, who developed the HSA tools, has a strong interest in translating research and innovation to support resilience in youth in educational settings. He has published over 200 papers, articles, and books on topics related to child and adolescent development, and risk and resiliency. As the editor-in-chief of the award-winning journal New Directions in Youth Development: Theory, Practice and Research, he consults nationally and internationally with youth development, education and child mental health organizations, foundations and agencies.

Dr. Noam’s talk is open to all interested community members, especially those that advocate and work with young people in our community. If you would like to attend this talk, please RSVP by Friday, December 12 to Don Carpenter at don@trekkers.org or call 594-5095.

Trekkers is a non-profit outdoor-based mentoring program that connects young people with caring adults through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure-based education. This year, Trekkers will serve more than 200 7th through 12th grade students from the communities of Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston, St. George and Thomaston. For more information about Trekkers or PEAR, contact the Trekkers office at 594-5095.