STEP: Student Expedition Program Partners

Our Partners

Mentoring and Scholarship Partners:

STEP is currently partnering with nine youth organizations to identify its students: Arizona Quest for Kids, AVID, Greater Phoenix Youth at Risk, Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, Youth On Their Own, Neighborhood Ministries, Crittenton Youth Academy, and Boys Hope Girls Hope. These organizations provide long-term mentoring and enrichment activities to youth from economically disadvantaged families. STEP also works directly with high school counselors and teachers to identify qualified student candidates.
Expedition Partners:
National Outdoor Leadership School www.nols.edu
The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) has been a leader in wilderness expeditioning for 40 years. STEP partners with NOLS because it is also at the forefront of leadership training nationwide, as evidenced by the fact that a NOLS expedition is now part of every astronaut’s training before they go into space. NOLS' focus activities include backpacking, river rafting, sea kayaking, sailing, horse-packing, and mountaineering. Since 1965 NOLS has served over 60,000 students. Based in Lander, Wyoming, NOLS has branches in 12 locations on 5 continents around the world. A NOLS course typically consists of 12 students and 3 instructors and travels in regions of remote wilderness.

Ocean Classroom Foundation www.oceanclassroom.org
Ocean Classroom Foundation has been running field-based programs under sail for 10 years, including a fully accredited high school and college semester-at-sea. Ocean Classroom conducts its programs on three topsail schooners certified by the U.S. Coast Guard as sailing school vessels. Each can accommodate up to 25 students, 8 crew members, and 3 educators. Their summer voyages sail the waters of the western North Atlantic including the coastal waters of Maine and Nova Scotia.

Corporate Partners:

STEP is looking for visionary Corporate Partners who recognize the importance of investing in young leaders from a diversity of backgrounds. Our Corporate Partners will have the opportunity to contribute to the growth of individual students via student scholarships, internships, and job-shadowing programs as well as employee volunteer opportunities.

“I know that this experience will continue to change the way I see things and I know that it has changed me into a better person and a better leader as well.”
Tawnya STEP Graduate