Essential Eligibility Criteria
Personal and Interpersonal Behaviors and Health
Essential eligibility criteria for Apogee students may vary by trip and trip type, but at a minimum each student must be:
- In good health, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and have the ability to positively and cooperatively participate as part of a supportive community in a socially healthy way.
- Able to positively contribute to a safe learning and living environment for all group members, using respectful language and appropriate and responsible physical behavior.
- Able to self-manage frustrations or emotional outbursts. Additionally, the student must be able to self-calm following an event that causes frustration, sadness, or anger.
- Able and willing to follow instructions and refrain from behaviors that pose a risk to self or others.
- Able to sleep in a small tent or shared room (program dependent) with one or more other students without sleep aids (such as lights, music, screens, “white noise”, etc.).
Risk Management, Judgement, and Interaction with the Environment
The dominant language used on Apogee programs is English. Fluency is not required, but the ability to understand instructions and directions, particularly when it comes to risk management (safety), is necessary.
Essential eligibility criteria for Apogee students may vary by trip and trip type, but at a minimum each student must be:
- Able to independently identify and recognize environmental hazards, such as falling objects; loose rock and unstable surfaces; cliff edges; and moving water.
- Able to recall and understand hazards and risks previously explained by Apogee staff or affiliated instructors.
- Able to effectively alert and warn others of potential or impending dangers.
- Able to effectively signal or notify Apogee staff, affiliated instructors, or other course members of personal distress, injury, or need for assistance.
- Able to remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed. Be able to perform, after being instructed as necessary, the above activities independently or in cooperation with trip mates without direct supervision.
- Ambulatory and able to independently move about the campsite or accommodation in order to attend activities, attend to toileting needs, and contribute to camping and group living tasks as necessary.
See individual trip pages and trip-specific FAQs for more detailed descriptions of our trip-specific criteria and expectations. If you have any questions about the suitability of one of our itineraries for your child, please call us at 207-725-7025.
