Trail Blazers School Information

Trail Blazers provides a unique opportunity for children to experience natural surroundings and group living in a supportive, noncompetitive environment. At our camp, children experience personal growth and development, in a setting that fosters trust, reliance, sharing, and meaningful personal relationships.

When Trail Blazers accepts referrals, we form a collaborative relationship with the referring agency or school in order to provide the best possible experience for program participants. We feel that the agency/school is in the best position to serve as a liaison between the family and Trail Blazers.

Referral Process
Responsibilities of Agencies and Schools
Selecting Children

Agency/School Process for Sending Children to Trail Blazers
Because of the intense, unique, and rustic nature of our program, Trail Blazers takes great care in selecting children who are most likely to benefit from the experience. As a result, we use an involved-depth application process that includes a paper application, an in-person orientation, and a one-on-one interview with each child and parent.

1.  Agency/school selects a contact person who will be responsible for liaising with Trail Blazers staff and coordinating the
    recruitment process.
2.  Agency/school contact pre-selects children who will benefit from and be appropriate for the
    experience. See Selection of Children.
3.  Agency/school contact distributes application materials and information for the scheduled
    orientation with parents and children.
4. When possible, agency/school contact arranges for an orientation to be held at the
    agency/school.
5. Trail Blazers staff provides an in-depth orientation for interested parents and children and
    interviews each child and parent to ensure appropriateness for the program.
6. Trail Blazers informs agency/school contact and parents of acceptance into the program.
7.  Agency/school contact continues to help parents complete and submit paperwork.

Responsibilities of a Referring Agency/School
As a referring agency or school, we ask that you aid in our efforts to recruit children and ensure their attendance. Specifically, we ask that your organization do the following:
‣ Assign an agency/school worker to serve as liaison and primary contact to Trail Blazers
‣ Provide time and space for orientation meetings with Trail Blazers
‣ Select children for referral who are appropriate to the Trail Blazers' experience. See Selection of Children.
‣ Aid the family in filling out all forms required and ensure their timely arrival for all appointments and interviews at the Trail Blazers
   office or at the agency/school
‣ Provide Trail Blazers with written background information for each client at the time of the referral
‣ Ensure that the children are on time to take the bus/van to New Jersey and that someone is available to pick up the children at
   the end of the session
‣ Inform Trail Blazers of any cancellations so that another child (to be selected by Trail Blazers) may be given that space
‣ Remain available to Trail Blazers during the summer to aid in any problems that arise. This includes giving a home or cell phone
   number of a contact person for emergency use only.
‣ Use the reports provided by Trail Blazers professionally and share the information with the family appropriately
‣ Encourage the year-round participation of the child and represent to the family the importance of continued participation
‣ Share information about the child with Trail Blazers as appropriate and necessary throughout the year
‣ Make financial contributions to the Trail Blazers program for the children being referred as the agency/school budget allows

Selection of Children for the Trail Blazers Program
There is only a limited number of spots available. Great importance is therefore placed on the referral of children for whom the Trail Blazers experience is appropriate.

Please think carefully about our program structure and its setting:
Trail Blazers is a very rustic living environment where everyone lives in tents, cooks meals over an open fire, uses pit latrines, and showers in a semiprivate shower house. Everyone has a job to do in the campsite each day, ranging from cooking to cleaning latrines. There also is an emphasis on experiential learning, which incorporates literacy, environmental education, and math into each group’s program. Additionally, groups participate in a variety of non-competitive activities, including daily swimming and hiking. We have NO sports facilities or fields.

Our camp is situated on 1,000 acres of undeveloped forest surrounded by another 25,000 acres of state forests. There are no walls or fences to physically contain an individual. Trail Blazers offers a 24-hour-a-day situation unlike schools, day care centers, or therapy sessions. In addition, remember that the child is living in a group with other people who will expect him/her to be willing to assume a share of group responsibilities.

Consider the following when selecting children:
‣  The child should need this experience. Children who do not have other options for economic or other reasons, or who are
   being prevented from reaching their potential because of family, school, or living situations should take priority.
‣ The child must be able to meet the challenging demands of the program. The participant must be able to function in a
   group setting. Someone who requires constant one-on-one attention is unsuitable for our program.
‣  The child should be someone with whom you intend to continue to work with. We prefer to make long-term commitments
   to our children, therefore follow-up by the agency/school is very important.

In general, we feel that we serve children with average or above-average potential who can appreciate and utilize Trail Blazers’ challenges and opportunities to his/her advantage. We encourage the return of children who continue to benefit from the program. Many of our older children have attended our program for more than three years. Through year-round participation in our Leadership Training Program and Mentor Program, many of these youngsters are helped and motivated to seek higher education.

When considering children for Trail Blazers, please select children who:
‣   Are physically and emotionally ready for our program
‣   Can function in a group
‣   Can meet the challenges of our program and want to attend this program
‣   Are average or above average achievers

Please do not select children who:
‣   Are uncontrollable, extremely violent, who run away, or who are addicted to alcohol or drugs
‣   Have asthma that cannot be easily controlled by medication. This could be a potentially dangerous situation due to the amount of
   daily activity, as well as the location of our site.
‣   Desire team sports as part of their summer experience
‣   Have severe attachment issues. To gain the most from the Trail Blazers experience, children are expected to remain in the
   program for the full-length of the session. Please ensure that no child has been told that he/she can come home if homesickness
   occurs.