University of Vermont Extension 4-H is launching a new program for Vermont high school students, ages 14 to 18, who love spending time in the outdoors and want to connect with other teens with similar interests.

The pilot program will be teen-led with participants making the decisions about recreational and social outings, guest speakers for online and in-person programs and community service and job skill development opportunities. It will be split into two chapters, northern and southern Vermont, and is open to all high school students, not just 4-H’ers.

Interested teens are asked to complete a survey at https://go.uvm.edu/outdoor-teens by May 9 to provide input and for a chance to win a hammock in a random drawing.

The survey will help gauge interest in how often participants would like to meet virtually and in-person and the types of activities they would like to see offered, such as hiking and nature walks, environmental stewardship projects, camping trips and social gatherings including picnics and game nights. However, each chapter, once established, would make these decisions based on the members’ interests.

If questions, teens in northern Vermont (Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington Counties) should contact Holly Ferris at holly.ferris@uvm.edu.

Teens in southern Vermont (Bennington, Orange, Rutland, Windham and Windsor Counties) should reach out to Camille Kauffman at camille.kauffman@uvm.edu.