Family on boardwalk Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
Family on boardwalk Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
A group of teens posing at the top of a mountain in New Hampshire during a backpacking trip with Mass Audubon's Teen Adventure Trips program

New Coordinator for Teen Adventure Trips Plans for an Unforgettable Summer

April 12, 2024

In an age when more and more of our information, social networks, and entertainment are streamed through digital devices, opportunities to get teens outdoors and away from their screens are vital. 

Passing On a Love of the Outdoors 

Few people appreciate the importance of getting teens to unplug and spend time in nature like Julia Drennan, Mass Audubon’s new Adventure Trek Coordinator for the Teen Adventure Trips program. 

“I spent my teens outdoors,” Julia says. “I was lucky enough to have adults who understood how beneficial that was, and who instilled a sense of curiosity, confidence, and exploration in me from a young age. I’m excited to impart that same passion to a new generation of kids and provide them with opportunities for enriching experiences in the great outdoors the same way others did for me.” 

Mass Audubon's new coordinator for the Teen Adventure Trips program, Julia Drennan, stands inside a fenced-in enclosure with beautiful snow-dusted mountains in the background, She is holding a goat in her arms and smiling and is wearing a t-shirt for the Montana Conservation Corps.
Courtesy of Julia Drennan

Adventure Trips Take Teens to Incredible Destinations 

She’s certainly in the right place: Mass Audubon’s Teen Adventure Trips immerse young people ages 14–17 in the natural wonders of the Northeast’s most beautiful areas.  

Operating out of Blue Hills Nature Camp in Milton, MA, this summer, participants will travel to some amazing locations on week-long and ten-day treks: kayaking the rugged coastlines of Maine, paddling and pedaling across the beaches of Cape Cod, backpacking along Vermont’s legendary Long Trail, or rock climbing in the White Mountains, to name a few. 

Qualified for Outdoor Exploration 

Julia’s got the chops to lead teens with differing levels of outdoor experience, too. After earning a B.S. in Biology from Ramapo College in New Jersey, she served two AmeriCorps terms in the Wilderness Areas of Montana and Idaho with the Montana Conservation Corps, equipping her with extensive backcountry, hiking, and trail work experience. And after several years working as a swim instructor and swim team coach, she is well-versed in working with children of all ages. 

Combining outdoor exploration with opportunities to learn about local natural history, meet conservation professionals in the field, and participate in environmental service projects, the programs Julia is overseeing this summer are sure to give many intrepid teens the adventure of a lifetime.

Sign Up Today for Summer Adventures 

Spaces are filling for this year's Teen Adventure Trips, but there’s still time to register for most treks. Learn more about the adventures and destinations on offer for this summer and register online. 

Learn More