About ARC

ARC links wilderness to academics, adventure to leadership, identity to literacy and confidence to activism.  

Since 2004, ARC has supported youth in developing skills in literacy, leadership, and life. Our mission is to improve literacy and life skills, expose youth to a range of natural environments and wilderness experiences, and inspire the confidence they need to envision and accomplish goals, succeed in high school, and become engaged, empowered citizens. ARC's interactive and innovative year-round programming is rooted in the integration of rigorous academic instruction and outdoor education and it truly changes lives.


Participants in our intensive 40-day program have been successful in the following ways:

  •  92% of youth pass the California High School Exit Exam (compared to 42% for English Language Learners, 72% socio-economically disadvantaged, and 81% overall) and
  •  77% are attending either a 2 or 4-year university or college.

The voices of our participants are the strongest statement as to the impact of the program:

  • “Being in the wilderness has calmed me down and taught me not to take everything for granted. I want to protect the parks and make sure everything isn't urbanized. We need to work with nature instead of against it."
  • "ARC has taught me to take challenges and do well in school. It allowed me to create a goal to graduate and attend a 4-year university. It opened my eyes and I realized that education is the key to success."

  • "After ARC I noticed there has been a huge diference in me. It is easier for me to speak in front of the public. It feels awesome to be able to not be afraid to say what you want to say when you think you need to. I definitely thank you for giving me the oportunity to gain all the skills that I learned at ARC."

  • "The after-school writing workshops really help you a lot. The reason I attend is because I feel this can help me when I take my AP English Literature test. I feel stronger about my writing, which is why I want to keep attending these meeting because I feel like I'm growing in my writing skills."


We create a network of support and services that are critical for the success of today's youth through our dynamic 40-day summer course and academic year programming by:

  •  Exposing youth to adventures in the natural environment through a range of wilderness experiences and environmental science,
  •  Providing leadership training and opportunities for immense personal growth,
  •  Engaging youth in community service and stewardship activities, and
  •  Developing essential academic skills including critical thinking, reading, writing, and test preparation.

 

Our program is available to high school students in North Tahoe/Truckee, Merced County and the San Francisco Bay Area.


ARC's 40-Day program has been featured by National Public Radio, KGO-TV, the Fresno Bee and KVMR's Youth Radio Program.
 

Under the auspices of UC Berkeley, ARC is an intensive leadership and literacy program for high school youth, bolstering their skills in literacy, leadership, and life. Our strategy integrates rigorous academic instruction (critical thinking, writing, reading, research, and public speaking) with challenging leadership and life-skills training (goal setting, teamwork, resilience, and personal responsibility), resulting in life-changing experiences. ARC links wilderness to academics, adventure to leadership, identity to literacy, and confidence to activism.

 

Mission

To improve literacy and life skills, expose youth to a range of natural environments and wilderness experiences, and inspire the confidence they need to envision and accomplish goals, succeed in high school, and become engaged, empowered citizens.

 

The Issue

High school youth in California have a multitude of challenges to overcome on the route to higher education and living wage careers. Many youth have identified literacy or academic gaps, and many lack access to the resources they need for improvement. This could be due to language, transportation, or economic barriers, or cultural, personal, or family limitations. What results is that they lack the self-esteem, confidence, and skills to identify and reach their goals. And unfortunately, although many of these youth live within reach of public lands, they have almost no exposure or access to transformational and skill-building outdoor recreational opportunities and challenges that can help them bridge the gap.

 

What We Do

ARC integrates rigorous academic instruction with leadership and life-skills training through an innovative curriculum melding English, Environmental Science, Social Justice and Leadership. We integrate the best practices from the field of outdoor education and our curriculum is linked to California State Standards.

 

We teach to the whole person, offering specialized attention to each participant, and work in intentionally small cohorts, resulting in significant personal transformation. ARC is:

• Youth centered (engaging our participants’ diverse talents, skills, and interest, building on their strengths and involving them in planning and decision-making),

• Knowledge centered (building a range of life-skills), and

• Care-centered (providing family-like environments where youth feel safe and build trusting relationships).

 

Summer Literacy & Leadership Course

Our summer program is tailored for the needs of today’s youth, consisting of outdoor expeditions interspersed with intensive English academics at the UC Berkeley Sagehen Creek Field Station and the UC Merced Yosemite Field Station.

 

ARC’s unique integration of academics and outdoor education includes an English Language Arts curriculum aligned with California State Standards and the California State University Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum. We focus on reading, building vocabulary, improving grammar, writing projects, critical thinking, and public speaking. The Environmental Science curriculum is organized around place-based education standards, introducing students to the natural world around them and to environmental conservation concepts. Through dynamic programming, students learn about their role in stewardship and conservation, raise their overall academic success, develop positive social and cooperative skills, and prepare for civic engagement.

 

In this program, youth participate in:

• A daily English curriculum, incorporating journaling, grammar lessons, group reading, and vocabulary building,

• Community interviews and cross-age teaching experiences,

• The writing of a metaphorical poem, a narrative biography, and a transformational essay,

• A public speaking event of self-reflective essays and poetry,

• Three backpacking expeditions, including a final youth-led expedition and a solo overnight wilderness experience,

• Kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and ropes course activities, and

• Daily leadership activities integrating our social justice curriculum with our four core values of service, integrity, compassion and determination.

 

Academic Year Program

Our academic year program is targeted to all high school youth in need of leadership and academic skills. We provide a variety of activities that support healthy lifestyles, leadership development, and academic success during the school year:

 

• After school tutoring and writing workshops based on the California State University Expository Reading & Writing Curriculum

• College preparation, including college tours, SAT prep, and assistance with college applications and financial aid,

• Weekend wilderness retreats integrating challenging outdoor activities with leadership lessons and writing workshops,

• Community service projects and service of the land projects.

 

We partner with high school administrators, teachers, and counselors, as well as our non-profit partners, to increase our impact. This allows us to reach more youth and their families and expands our ability to make change on a community level.

 

How Are We Making a Difference?

ARC has a proven capacity to provide structured and effective academic and youth development programming. As we investigate the ways in which we make a difference in students’ lives, we see both immediate and long-term success for our summer immersion participants:

 

• 95% passing rate of the Language Arts section of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), as compared to passing rates across the state at 42% for English Language Learner students and 72% for socio-economically disadvantaged students.

 

• 79% college enrollment rate of high school graduates as compared to 36% nationwide for Latinos and 46% for Anglos.

 

• A 4 point average increase on the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets Profile, indicating new skills acquisitions, improved self-identity, and establishment of a strong support system through meaningful relationships. All ARC participants have higher levels of community engagement and exposure to outdoor and leadership opportunities, which are protective factors for continuing education and avoiding high risk behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, as well as teen pregnancy. Each year, ARC participants complete hundreds of hours of community service. We also see increased participation in outdoor recreation, sports, and leadership roles in student clubs.

 

The voices of our students are the strongest statement as to the impact of the program:

• “Being in the wilderness has calmed me down and taught me not to take everything for granted. I want to protect the parks and make sure everything isn’t urbanized. We need to work with nature instead of against it.”

 

• “ARC has taught me to take challenges and do well in school. It allowed me to create a goal to graduate and attend a 4-year university. It opened my eyes and I realized that education is the key to success.”

 

• “You don’t realize how this program has changed my life and the way I view things.”

 

Get Involved

To learn more about the ARC program, including volunteer opportunities and program underwriting, please contact our Director, Jennifer Gurecki, at 530.416.5682 or e-mail jgurecki@berkeley.edu. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of local youth.

 

We would like to sincerely thank the following donors for their incredible support:

  • Anne Chadwick Charitable Fund at Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation
  • Ashley Quinn Fund at the Parasol Community Foundation
  • The Foundation for Youth Investment
  • Northstar Firefighter's Association
  • North Tahoe Public Utility District
  • Placer County Health and Human Services
  • S.H. Cowell Foundation
  • St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church
  • Tahoe Donner Soroptimist
  • Tahoe League of Charity
  • Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation
  • Teichert Foundation
  • Truckee Rotary
  • Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation
  • Yosemite Conservancy
  • Vail Resorts Echo

Our program's success depends upon our partnerships and collaboration. We'd like to recognize and honor the following agencies, organizations, and businesses:
  • California State Parks
  • Cedar House
  • Creciendo Unidos
  • CREER
  • Dos Palos - Ora Loma Joint Unified School District
  • Gateway Mountain Center
  • I.R.I.E. Rafting Company
  • Kayak Tahoe
  • Merced County Office of Education
  • Merced Unified School District
  • NC Communications
  • North American Ski Training Center
  • Northstar-At-Tahoe
  • North Tahoe Boys & Girls Club
  • North Tahoe Family Resource Center
  • Office of Congressman Dennis Cardoza
  • Placer County Health and Human Services
  • Project Discovery
  • Project Mana
  • Sugarbowl
  • Summer Search
  • Summit Adventures
  • Tahoe Truckee Unified School District
  • Truckee Family Resource Center
  • Truckee River Watershed Council
  • Tahoe Women’s Services
  • USFS Tahoe National Forest
  • Yosemite National Park
 

ARC Junta el medio-ambiente con la académica, las aventuras con el liderazgo, la identidad con la literatura y confianza con el activismo.

 

Desde el 2004, ARC a apoyado a la juventud en el desarrollo de sus habilidades en la literatura, el liderazgo, y la vida.  Nuestra misión es ayudar a mejorar esas habilidades a travez de la exposición de una variedad de entornos naturales, experiencias al aire libre, y la inspiración de la confianza que necesitan para ver y realizar sus metas, triunfar en la preparatoria, y transformarse en ciudadanos facultados.  El programa interactivo e innovador de ARC, que dura todo el año, esta basado en la integración de la académica rigorosa, la instrucción académica, y el programa al aire libre que en realidad cambia las vidas de los jóvenes.  Los participantes en nuestro programa intensivo de 40 dias han sido excitosos en las siguientes maneras:

 

·      92% de los jóvenes han pasado el California High School Exit Exam (en comparación a 42% para los estudiantes quienes son aprendices del ingles como su segundo idioma, 72% Menos afortunados Socio-económicamente, y 81% en total)

·      77% de los jóvenes están atendiendo un colegió de 2 años o una Universidad de 4 años.

 

Las voces de nuestros participantes son el impacto mayor de nuestro programa:

 

·      “Estando en un medio ambiente natural me ha ayudado a calmarme y me ha ensenado a ser mas agradecido por lo que tengo.  Ahora quiero ayudar a proteger los parques y asegurar todo lo no ha sido urbanizado.  Es necesario que trabajemos con la naturaleza no en contra de ella.”

·      “ARC me ha ensenado a tomar desafios y a mejorar mis calificaciones escolares.  Me ha permitido crear metas para graduarme de una universidad de 4 años. Me ha habierto los ojos y e podido realizar que la educación es la llave al excito personal.”

·      “Después de ARC he notado que ha vido un gran cambio en mi.  Se me es mas facil hablar en frente de un publico.  Se siente bien poder expresar lo que uno siente, cuando uno piensa que es necesario decirlo.  Definitivamente le doy las gracias a el programa de ARC por verme dado la oportunidad de aver logrado con atener ciertas habilidades”

·      “El programa, que toma lugar después de la escuela, de escritura en verdad es una ayuda muy grande.  La razon por la cual yo asisto a este programa es porque me ayuda a darme la confianza para poder mejor tomar mi examen de AP de la Literatura en Ingles.  Quiero continuar asistiendo a este programa, porque me ayuda a sentir me mejor de mi porpia escritura, y siento que mis habilidades son mejoradas.”

 

Através de este programa creamos una cadena de apoyo y servicios que son fundamentales para el éxito de nuestra juventud, que es dado a nuestros estudiantes a través de nuestro programa de 40-días del verano, y la programación durante el año académico por medio de:

·      La exposición de el medio ambiente natural a nuestros jóvenes. 

·      El entrenamiento de liderazgo y las oportunidades de el crecimiento personal

·      Ayudando a los jóvenes ser mas activos en el servicio comunitario y en las actividades de gobierno comunitarias. 

·      El desarrollo de habilidades académicas esénciales, incluyendo el pensamiento critico, leer, escritura, y en la preparación para mejor tomar exámenes. 

 

Nuestro programa esta disponible a los estudiantes de las preparatorias en la área de North Tahoe/Truckee, El Condado de Merced, y en la área de la bahía de San Francisco.

 

El programa de 40 dias de ARC ha sido destacado por National Public Radio, KGO-TV, y KVMR’s Youth Radio Program.


Bajo los auspicios de la Universidad de California Berkeley y Merced,  ARC es un programa intensivo de liderazgo y literatura para los estudiantes, animando las ganas para mejorar  sus habilidades en el liderazgo y la vida.  Nuestra estrategia integran la instrucción rigorosa académica (pensamiento critico, investigación escritura, lectura y hablar en publico) con habilidades desafiantes de liderazgo y entrenamiento de habilidades para la vida (El establecimiento de metas, el trabajo entre equipo, la resistencia, y la responsabilidad personal) resultando en experiencias que cambian sus vidas.  ARC junta la naturaleza con la academia, la aventura con el liderazgo, la identidad con la literatura, y la confianza con el activismo.

 

La Mision

 

Mejorar las habilidades de literatura y de la vida en los novenes exponiéndolos a una variedad de entornos naturales y experiencias al aire libre, inspirándoles la confianza que necesitan para desarrollar y alcanzar sus metas, ser exitosos en la preparatoria, y hacerse mas activos ciudadanos. 

 

El Problema

 

Los jóvenes de las preparatorias de California tienen varias cantidades de desafíos que vencer en su ruta hacia la educación superior. Varios jóvenes han identificado huecos en su reconocimiento de literatura y académicamente, y muchos no tienen el acceso a los recursos necesarios para mejorar en estas áreas.  Esto puede ser por impedimentos del idioma, o por falta de transportación, o problemas económicos, limitaciones personales, culturales o familiares.  El resultado en todo caso es la falta de autoestima, confianza, y habilidades para alcanzar sus metas.  Y, por desgracia, aunque muchos de estos jóvenes viven al alcance de las tierras públicas, casi no tienen exposición o acceso a la transformación y desarrollo de habilidades oportunidades de recreación al aire libre y retos a los que les puede ayudar a cerrar la brecha.

 

A lo que nos dedicamos:

 

ARC integra la instrucción académica rigurosa con el liderazgo y la formación para la vida cotidiana a través de un plan de estudios innovadores con la fusión del Inglés, Ciencias del Medio Ambiente, Justicia Social y Liderazgo. Integramos las mejores prácticas en el campo de la educación al aire libre y nuestro plan de estudios está vinculada a la del Estado de California.

 

Enseñamos a la persona en su totalidad, ofreciendo atención especializada a cada participante, y el trabajo en pequeños grupos intencionalmente, lo que resulta es la transformación personal significante. ARC esta enfocado en:
• Los jóvenes (Fomentar la participación y la expresión de sus talentos con nuestros participantes diversos, habilidades e intereses, esforzando sus fortaleza y su participación en la toma de decisiones y de planificación),
• El conocimiento centrado en (la construcción de una serie de aptitudes para la vida), y
• El cuidado centrado en (ofrecer entornos de tipo familiar donde los jóvenes se sientan seguros para que puedan construir relaciones de confianza).