We offer field expeditions and virtual programs for high school girls* to empower them to lead and succeed through science, art, and outdoor exploration.

*We welcome cisgender girls and transgender, agender, Two Spirit, nonbinary, intersex, and genderqueer youth to our programs.

The Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC) explain the basic abilities each participant must possess to safely and successfully participate in our programs. Please note that all specialized skills listed below (i.e. the ability to ascend rock walls with limited support, or the ability to perform self-care in a remote environment) will be taught and demonstrated by qualified instructors before participants are asked to attempt them. We do not expect our participants to arrive at our programs with the knowledge and skill to live outside for multiple days, hike, mountaineer, rock climb, sea kayak, and/or packraft, but participants must have the ability to learn and implement the skills necessary to participate safely.

These EEC are intended to be helpful and constructive for all participants who are considering attending our programs. However, these EEC are only intended to give an overall ‘snapshot’ of EEC for Inspiring Girls Expeditions activities, and do not encompass every criteria or function of the various activities you may encounter on a given expedition. Please review these EEC prior to completing an application for Inspiring Girls Expeditions. If you do not meet the EEC, with or without reasonable accommodation, for one type of expedition (i.e., a mountaineering program) but you do meet criteria for another (i.e., sea kayaking), you will be able to specify that in your application. We welcome participants who identify as disabled and recognize that individuals may need to discuss these eligibility criteria and potential accommodations before or after applying.

Please note that while Inspiring Girls* Expeditions values diversity, equity, and inclusion and strives to provide culturally responsive programming in a positive learning environment for all participants, our programs are not wilderness therapy. Our instructors are skilled experiential educators and group facilitators, but they are not trained therapists or medical professionals, and do not specialize in experiences for people with significant mental health, emotional, or behavioral conditions.

The EEC apply to all participants. Participants are evaluated on both the Criteria for all Expeditions and the activity-specific criteria listed below. If participants cannot meet the EEC, a determination will be made as to whether we can reasonably accommodate them without an undue financial burden and without jeopardizing the health, safety, and positive learning environment for all participants and staff members on the expedition, and while still adhering to the fundamental nature of the expedition as planned. If you have any questions about the Essential Eligibility Criteria, including exploring reasonable accommodations relating to these criteria, please contact us at apply@inspiringgirls.org.

Criteria for All Expeditions

The following criteria pertain to all participants on all expeditions.

Attitudes and Behaviors

Participants must be able to…

• Come with an open mind and willingness to try new things

• Contribute to a physically, emotionally, and mentally safe and healthy learning environment for all

• Display tolerance, respect, and compassion towards all

• Maintain appropriate relationships with other team members and instructors; refrain from behaviors that disrupt the learning and safety of the group

• Work effectively as a team member throughout potentially stressful or difficult conditions. This includes taking personal responsibility for your belongings and behavior, effectively communicating ideas and concerns on an individual and group level, accepting differences, and possessing a willingness to put the needs of the group before those of the individual.

• Understand that every participant shares in the responsibility for their own well-being and the well-being of the group

• Refrain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, controlled substances, and any misuse of prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. If using prescription drugs, participants must be able to follow the correct dosage and usage and maintain the medicine in good condition while in the field.

Living, Learning & Safety on our Expeditions

• Understand and follow instructions, whether supervised or not

• Understand visual instructions (i.e., hand signals) in conditions where verbal instructions are not possible

• Understand hazards and safety concerns when explained, and follow safety precautions whether supervised or not. Examples of hazards and safety concerns might include, but are not limited to: adverse weather conditions, challenging terrain conditions, wildlife, fatigue, or state of mind

• Effectively communicate to others personal distress, injury, or need for assistance, and communicate to others any hazards and dangers that they perceive

• Live in a remote wilderness environment for an uninterrupted period of eight days, where “remote wilderness environment” is defined as greater than one hour away from definitive medical care, lacking infrastructure, and without cell and internet services

• Able to adapt to the physical, mental, and emotional rigors of the expedition, given a supportive and inclusive environment

• Tolerate being outdoors for multiple days in all types of weather, with a variety of stimuli, including bugs, extreme temperature changes, rain and/or snow, intense sunlight, wind, storms, and wildlife

• Tolerate changes in diet, group living, long days filled with mentally and physically challenging activities, and a routine that is likely much different than your routine at home

• Respond appropriately in the face of unexpected challenges such as inclement weather, changes in itinerary, unfamiliar surroundings, and homesickness

• Perform necessary self-care in an outdoor environment, including personal hygiene, dressing appropriately for weather conditions, and taking responsibility for personal belongings including loaned gear

• Monitor and address personal hunger, thirst, and tiredness levels, with or without assistance and in a timely manner, in order to maintain energy levels required for expedition activities

• Remain alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling through wilderness and other remote environments

• Learn and practice ‘Leave No Trace’ camping and travel techniques

• Exhibit willingness and ability to participate in small and large group activities including camp chores (cooking, water purification, etc.), group lessons, and science and art projects

Hiking

All expeditions involve some amount of hiking. Participants must be able to travel up to eight (8) miles/thirteen (13) kilometers per day while doing the following, with or without assistance:

• Lift and carry weight, including personal or group belongings, gear or provisions

• Maintain balance and direction while traveling on and off trail, over uneven, rocky, snowy, vegetated, or rough terrain, on potentially narrow or winding routes, often while carrying weight

• Maneuver over, under, through, and around obstacles (i.e. boulders, fallen trees, or river crossings)

• Negotiate stream crossings with a group, where fast moving water and slippery or loose rocks and other obstructions are present

• Possess the mental and physical strength, fitness, balance, and agility to accomplish the above tasks.

Criteria for Specific Activities

Mountaineering

Participants must be able to…

• Correctly wear a climbing helmet and harness while mountaineering

• Understand, follow, and communicate instructions while traveling on a rope team

• Maintain balance traveling over uneven ice and snow while traveling on a rope team

• Quickly and safely arrest their own fall using safety tools (i.e., an ice ax) in the event of an unexpected fall, or assist the arrest of another person on their rope team

• Possess the mental and physical strength, fitness, balance, and agility to accomplish the above tasks

Rock Climbing

Participants must be able to…

• Correctly wear a climbing helmet and harness

• Travel to rock climbing sites on trails that are sometimes narrow and rocky while carrying personal climbing gear

• Focus solely on belaying a climber for the duration of one climb (up to 20 minutes), including communicating with the climber from distances up to 50 feet/15 meters; holding the belay rope securely; and safely lowering the climber to the ground with or without assistance

• Ascend a rock wall that is slightly inclined with limited support

• Possess the mental and physical strength, sustained attention, fitness, balance, and agility to accomplish the above tasks

Sea Kayaking & Packrafting

Participants must be able to…

• Be able to swim or be comfortable in the water, including cold, fast moving, and/or deep open water, while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD, a.k.a. life jacket)

• Correctly wear a PFD for up to eight (8) hours at a time

• Wear a drysuit with neck, wrist, and ankle gaskets for up to eight (8) hours at a time

• In water that is deeper than knee height, make forward progress in potentially rough water with a strong current and obstacles toward safety (land or a rescue boat) while keeping head above water

• Safely enter and exit a sea kayak or packraft from the shore with or without assistance

• Sit, with or without assistance, in a sea kayak or packraft for up to two (2) hours at a time and up to ten (10) hours per day

• Make forward progress in a sea kayak or packraft; control a paddle and pull it through the water in order to steer the boat and propel it forward

• In the event of a boat capsizing in moving water: exit a flipped boat, maintain rescue position (floating on back, feet pointed downstream, head above water), and/or actively swim toward land or a rescue boat

• In the event of a boat capsizing in deep water: exit a flipped boat and actively swim toward land or a rescue boat

• Possess the mental and physical strength, fitness, balance, and agility to accomplish the above tasks

General

What are the dates for each expedition?

Please visit the All Expeditions page for the dates of each expedition. Expedition dates will be confirmed in mid-late winter.

Who is eligible to apply for Inspiring Girls* Expeditions?

Each branch has its own eligibility requirements. Please see our branch pages to learn about eligibility for each expedition. Regardless, applicants who have been on any expedition are ineligible to participate again with any branches expeditions.

How much does it cost to participate in Inspiring Girls* Expeditions?

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our expeditions are tuition-free. We cover tuition, food, and gear costs for the duration of your expedition, but we do expect our participants to contribute to the cost of travel between their homes and the expedition's starting location. If you and your family are unable to pay for your travel, we will work with you to develop fundraising strategies you can use in your home community.

What have alumni said about their experiences with Inspiring Girls* Expeditions?

You can read thoughts and stories from our expedition participant testimonials.

Applying for Inspiring Girls* Expeditions

How do I apply?

We select expedition team members through an application process. Our branches have separate application processes; please check our branch pages for details on how to apply to specific expeditions.

If I submit an application, am I guaranteed a spot on an expedition?

Unfortunately, no. We wish we could accept everyone who applies, but our limited resources mean we can only offer a certain number of expeditions each year. If you are not selected for a team this year, but you are still eligible to apply again next year, we highly encourage you to do so! We admire the perseverance of repeat applicants.

Do I have to complete a separate application for each expedition for which I want to apply?

Each Inspiring Girls* Expeditions branch has its own application process. Please check each branch page for specifics on how to apply to their expeditions.

Do I have to pay an application fee?

When filling out our online application, you will have the choice to pay an optional application fee. We suggest $25 USD per application. The revenue we collect from optional application fees helps us run our expeditions tuition-free each year. We do not connect payment information to any part of the application review process - we will review your completed application regardless of whether and how much you pay.

For Recommenders

I received a recommendation request for an application for Inspiring Girls* Expeditions. What should I do?

When an applicant initiates a recommendation request on our application website, you will receive an email with a link and a QR code that direct you to the recommender form and additional instructions.

If you were a recommender in past years, please note that this is a new feature in 2024- you are no longer required to have an account on our application platform.

If you run into errors during this process, please ask the applicant to resend the request (make sure to check your "spam", "junk", or "other" folders if nothing appears in your inbox). If this does not fix the problem please try creating an account (instructions below) and then proceed to fill out the recommendation form. If you still experience problems after these steps, please contact the application system - SurveyMonkey Apply - support team.

How to make an account in SurveyMonkey Apply (if the link/ QR code does not work):

1) Go to https://apply.inspiringgirls.org/

2) In the top right corner, press the green "Register" button

3) Fill out the required information using the same email address to which the applicant sent the request. If you create an account with a different email, you won't be able to see the recommendation form.

4) You should now be able to see the recommender form in your account. If not, please contact the application system - SurveyMonkey Apply - support team.

Can applicants see what I’ve written about them in my recommendation?

No. Applicants cannot see what you have written, though they will see that you have completed the recommendation form for them.

Employment Opportunities

I'm interested in instructing for Inspiring Girls* Expeditions. How do I apply?

Check out our available positions on our Work With Us page!

I'm interested in developing my own expedition. Can you offer any advice?

Developing a new expedition - particularly one outside of our current partner institutions - requires a significant amount of dedication and hard work. Many of our expeditions have taken multiple years to launch. If you would like to talk with us further about starting your own expedition, please contact us at info@inspiringgirls.org.