Teens To Trails (T3) is pleased to announce a rare opportunity for Maine High School Outing Club programs to receive funding support through their Grants-to-Clubs program. Since 2008, Teens To Trails has awarded over 50 small grants to Outing Clubs to help get teens active outdoors.

This year, with the generous support of L.L. Bean and The Davis Conservation Foundation, Teens To Trails will ensure that more teens have the opportunity to explore Maine's great outdoors.

The Grants-to-Clubs program is open to any high school Outing Club in Maine. Complete online application guidelines are available at www.teenstotrails.org/grants-clubs-program. Applications are due by midnight December 1. Through the Grants-to-Clubs program, Outing Clubs will receive funds to help with costs such as transportation, outdoor gear, or safety and skills training for leaders. Grants are awarded up to $500.

"A growing body of research shows that unstructured time outdoors is critical to the health and well being of our young people," Founder of Teens To Trails Carol Leone said.

"Life was not meant to be a spectator sport," Leone said. "It is our goal to establish an Outing Club in every one of Maine's high schools.”

Eleven Outing Clubs received assistance last year helping them to plan outdoor adventures throughout the school year. The 2012 Grants-to-Clubs Program is made possible by a grant from The Davis Conservation Foundation and the generosity of L.L. Bean. Teens To Trails encourages high schools to apply. (T3 loves middle schools with outing clubs, but as a primarily all-volunteer effort, T3 are focusing their limited resources on high schools right now.)

For information on the Grants-to-Clubs program, Teens To Trails and Outing Clubs, visit www.TeensToTrails.org.