The Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) is starting a new Outdoor Education and Leadership program in the fall – and is inviting students from PATHS’ sending schools to sign up now. The new program will serve as an experiential pathway for students interested in careers or post-secondary education in the outdoor industry – whether that be outdoor or environmental education, adventure programming, parks and public land management, environmental conservation, or other fields related to the outdoors.

“We are looking for students entering their 11th- or 12th-grade year in the fall to be part of the pioneering class of this amazing program,” said PATHS Director Kevin Stilphen. “Please contact your sending school guidance counselor to schedule a visit and apply for potential acceptance.”

This program is PATHS’ newest and brings to 20 the total number of programs the Portland Public Schools-based regional high school offers. The last time PATHS added a program was in 2019, when it launched its cybersecurity program.

The Outdoor Education and Leadership program will now be added to these 19 other PATHS’ programs: Automotive Collision; Automotive Technology; Biomedical; Careers in Education; Carpentry; Commercial Art; CTE Exploratory; Culinary Arts; Cybersecurity; Dance; Food Service; Horticulture; HVAC & Plumbing; Marine Service; Masonry; Music; New Media; and Welding.

“The addition of this new program reflects the growing demand for outdoor industry professionals and aligns with PATHS's mission to provide students with relevant, high-quality career pathways that connect them to future employment and education opportunities,” Stilphen said. “In Maine, industries that include outdoor recreation, tourism, forestry, and environmental conservation are critical to our state’s economy. This program will help create a skilled workforce that Maine needs and it also will prepare students going on to postsecondary education to succeed in further studies in outdoor-related fields.”

Superintendent Ryan Scallon said, “This new Outdoor Education & Leadership program is a great example of how the Portland Public Schools is working to ensure that all students are prepared and empowered for future success."

The Outdoor Education & Leadership program will provide hands-on learning experiences in wilderness survival, team-building, environmental stewardship, and outdoor guiding, preparing students for industry certifications and post-secondary opportunities in related fields. Through partnerships with local parks, conservation organizations, and outdoor adventure businesses and nonprofit organizations, students will gain real-world experience while developing leadership, problem-solving, and risk-management skills.

The instructor will be Katherine “Katie” West, an experienced and passionate proponent of outdoor education. She is moving to PATHS after being the district’s environmental and experiential learning district coordinator since 2021. West has been working with students in the field and classroom for 25 years, leading students on multiweek sailing expeditions up the coast of Maine, teaching as an environmental educator in overnight programs, sailing on tall ships and paddling on river canoe trips, and leading high- and low-challenge courses as an instructor.  She loves learning alongside her students and sharing with them the joy and adventure of being outside and the beauty of the natural world.

West said the benefits of this course for students go beyond readiness for outdoor-related careers. “This Outdoor Education and Leadership program will foster teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience—skills that are transferable to any profession,” she said. “It will also promote physical and mental well-being, connecting students to nature in ways that enhance both personal growth and environmental responsibility and help them develop leadership skills they’ll use throughout their lives.”

Stilphen said PATHS hopes to have 26 students in the first cohort of the program. Rising juniors and seniors from PATHS’ 14 sending schools are eligible to apply. Those schools are: Bonny Eagle, Cape Elizabeth, Casco Bay, Deering, Falmouth, Gorham, Gray-New Gloucester, Greely, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook, Windham and Yarmouth high schools.

Learn more about the Outdoor Education and Leadership program.

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with nearly 6,500 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken—a total of 59 languages. Approximately 47 percent of the district’s students are white and 53 percent are students of color. More than half of all PPS students are economically disadvantaged.