Landmark Volunteers

Youth Across America
Across the United States


		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Landmark Volunteers
P.O. Box 455
800 North Main Street
Sheffield, Massachusetts 01257
800-955-1178 (toll-free for brochure)
Fax: 413-229-2050
http://www.volunteers.com

Type of Program: Two-week summer and one-week spring service opportunities with leading nonprofit organizations
Participants: Coeducational: rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Enrollment: 625
Program Dates: Two-week summer programs from June 16 to August 12; one-week spring programs

Location

Every year, Landmark Volunteers is proud to work with more than fifty important and vital nonprofit organizations across the country. Each is dedicated to values that enrich society. Recent programs have included Glacier Institute, Montana; Shakespeare & Company, Massachusetts; Maine Coast Heritage Trust, Maine; Rocky Mountain Village, Colorado; Acadia National Park, Maine; Perkins School for the Blind, Massachusetts; Gould Farm, Massachusetts; Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho; the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, Massachusetts; the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Connecticut; Morgan Horse Farm, Vermont; Norman Rockwell Museum, Massachusetts; National Elk Refuge, Wyoming; Henry Coe State Park, California; Chico Basin Ranch, Colorado; and many others.

Background and Philosophy

Landmark Volunteers was founded in 1992 by a board of prominent educators and community leaders to provide teenagers with the opportunity to improve themselves by helping improve the world around them. Landmark’s core philosophy is that young people are an integral part of society and that they have something unique and important to contribute if given the opportunity to do something meaningful. Those who acquit themselves well in their summer service are provided with letters of recommendation and community-service credit. The other benefits of volunteering at Landmark are unique to each individual; the experience may plant the seed for a future career, produce a great friend or a lifelong mentor, or form a deep connection with a particular area of the country.

Program Offerings

Landmark Volunteers works with more than fifty nonprofit organizations across the country—each dedicated to values that enhance society. Allowing students to participate in the missions of these important organizations enables them to effect positive change, both in their own lives and in the lives of others. As a volunteer with Landmark, a student has a distinct “Landmark experience”—an experience that extends through the programs regardless of the site or type of work involved. The Landmark experience is one of fun, hard work, cooperation, and a shared sense of purpose. It is one that has been successful for many years, is well organized by a full-time Landmark staff, and is expertly led in the field by dynamic team leaders. The experience is one of both giving and growth.
Depending on a student’s interests, it is important to think about which programs are right for them. When applying to Landmark, volunteers are required to list six programs of interest.
The work of a Landmark volunteer helps further the missions of important organizations and makes a positive impact on society. The type of work varies with the needs and nature of each host organization. At most programs, the work is primarily manual—from clearing trails to painting and building projects to grounds maintenance. At other programs, volunteers may become directly involved in the host organization’s mission or with its clientele. For specific descriptions of the work assignments at the various sites, students should visit Landmark’s Web site at http://www.volunteers.com.

Enrollment

Enrollment in 2007 was approximately 650 rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Daily Schedule

Landmark teams work a full day and generally adhere to the normal hours of the staff members at their particular location.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Volunteers work as a team with 12 other high school students from around the country who want to make a real difference in the world around them. In this spirit of teamwork and dedication, hard work can quickly turn into fun. It is no wonder friendships take root easily, grow, and last a lifetime. After work, students may take advantage of activities unique to their host site.

Facilities

Housing is arranged in cooperation with the host organizations, and it therefore varies by site. Volunteers may be housed on-site in cabins, dorm, or tents or off-site at a local church, school, or college dorm. To get a better idea about housing at a particular site, students should visit Landmark Volunteers’ Web site, select a program from the list, and click on the “housing” link.

Staff

Volunteers serve in a team with up to 12 other students under the full-time leadership and supervision of an adult Landmark team leader. The team leaders are role models: college graduates, many with postgraduate degrees, who are socially conscious, responsible, and dynamic leaders in their communities.
A team is further supported by an “overseer,” a senior member of the local community serving as a valuable community resource. A member of the host organization instructs volunteers, providing an inside look at the mission and workings of the organization.

Medical Care

Each team leader is required to know how to reach the local emergency room, to identify a local physician, and to have read the Red Cross first aid manual that is provided to them with their first aid kit. Parents must complete a medical form that advises of any relevant condition or medication and permits Landmark to authorize treatment in the event of an emergency.

Costs

There is a tax-deductible contribution of $1250 for the two-week summer programs for applications postmarked before March 15 and $1300 for applications postmarked after March 15. The tax-deductible contribution for the one-week spring programs is $750. A $100 deposit is due with the application. Landmark Volunteers is a tax-exempt organization, and contributions are deductible to the extent provided by law.

Transportation

Each volunteer is responsible for his or her personal travel arrangements and expenses. With more than fifty programs across the nation, students have the option to travel to a new part of the country or stay close to home. If a volunteer is traveling by air, a Landmark representative meets them at the airport and shuttles them to the site.

Application Timetable

There are a limited number of Landmark volunteer positions available. Admission is based on the merits of the application, the references, and when the application materials are received by Landmark. It is important that applications are submitted as early as possible. The application process consists of filling out the application, completing the Landmark student essay, submitting the reference form and letter of evaluation from a teacher, and sending a $100 deposit along with other information. Interested students may visit the Web site to apply online, print an application, request a brochure, or learn more about the program.