Current Volunteer Needs
School Outreach Coordinators
One to two club members are needed to serve as our school Outreach Coordinators.
Engage the next generation of trail stewards by coordinating hikes for students to Siler Bald for its tremendous long-range views and access to the shelter. Additional educational programs are also offered upon request from teachers and school leadership.
Also, work with students interested in learning what it takes to preserve our trails through science. Join Summit Charter School students as they hike the AT to perform water quality testing.
Contact Club President Tim Lindler at [email protected] for more information about this position.
September 10 – 11, 2025
Volunteers are needed to hike with the students on the Appalachian Trail as they complete water monitoring tests, including dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, air and water temperatures, at five sites.
Volunteers should meet us at the Winding Stair pulloff on HWY 64 and assist as students monitor water at Moore’s Creek second crossing, Betty’s Creek, and Betty’s Creek Gap, as well as hike up the backside to Albert Mountain Fire Tower.
The next day, volunteers will meet students at Rock Gap Shelter, hike with them as they test at Wallace Gap, and hike to Winding Stair Gap, where students will test their last site.
For more information and to volunteer, contact Janis Brannon, Outdoor Classroom Coordinator/Middle School Science Teacher at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, at [email protected].
Research has shown that time in nature benefits one’s mind and body. Adults who spend more time outside report lower rates of depression, while benefits to children include better healing, coping, and rehabilitation. With these benefits in mind, our club provides the following volunteer services to local schools:
- leading faculty-planned and scheduled hikes
- offering education to students and faculty in class settings
- teaching students “Leave No Trace” principles and their application to trail safety, woodland conservation, and flora/fauna preservation
- creating student and faculty opportunities to raise awareness and connection to the Appalachian Trail, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and National Park Service
- constructing with student participation a scaled mini-Appalachian Trial used for student navigation, trail maintenance, and green space activities
- distributing appropriate messaging to encourage trail safety and hiking fundamentals
Hiking club volunteers lead six activities in classrooms and on trail for first- through 12th-graders each academic year. In-classroom activities typically include discussions of Leave No Trace ethics, backpack basics, and mapping a thru-hiker’s AT route from the trail’s southern to northern terminus (≈ 2,200 miles).
“Club volunteers value our mentorships of students, faculty, and ancillary support staff,” said School Outreach Chair Pam Addleton. “We know that teachers and students are future stewards of our woodlands and trails.”
To inquire about or request services from our club’s school outreach volunteer, contact [email protected] or 478-230-5010 at least 30 days before the anticipated event.