Leadership Camp
Every year, the PBI Leadership Camp gives top students from around the world the chance to learn about polar bears and climate change by traveling to the tundra during the famous polar bear migration near Churchill, Manitoba. The students return to their communities to spread the message about the need to save the polar bear's sea ice habitat by reducing carbon emissions. This fall we will a host a one-week camp for teens and, for the first time, a second camp for zoo keepers. Click image to enlarge.
Watch our Leadership Camp promotional video in the gallery.
PBI's Leadership Camp attracted worldwide attention when it was launched in the fall of 2004, and it has continued to grow every year since. Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy® Adventure has been the major sponsor of this program since it was started.
The fall of 2008 marked the fifth year of PBI's Leadership Camp. During the fall polar bear migration, 33 high school students and 12 teachers from around the world traveled to Churchill to experience the tundra in person; meet field scientists and community members; observe polar bears in their natural habitat; learn about how global warming is affecting polar bears; explore how individuals can make a difference; and report back to their classmates, families, and the world via daily blogs. As the Leadership Camp experience wrapped up, each student created a forward action plan to help educate their peers and to spread the word about how each of us can help save the polar bear's habitat.
On their return home, these Ambassadors of the Arctic gave presentations to thousands of their fellow classmates. In addition their blogs were read by over hundreds of thousands of people. Millions more were reached through television interviews and newspaper articles. In addition, Leadership Camp graduates have mounted tree-planting and recycling efforts in their communities, launched polar bear awareness days in which they share conservation tips, motivated fellow to students to switch to reusable bags and coffee mugs, and even inspired entire schools to "go green."
To read the blogs of the 2008 Ambassadors, click here.
This fall, PBI will once again host two Leadership Camps. The first will be for students and the second will be for zoo keepers affliated with our Arctic Ambassador Centers, an equally motivated group that will help us reach an even wider audience.
Keepers carry a unique cachet with zoo guests that can inspire them to do their part to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, as adults, animal keepers have a different level of community involvement than our teen ambassadors. By broadening our line-up of Arctic Ambassadors, PBI hopes to accelerate change at the personal and community levels on behalf of the great white bears.
PBI Teen Leadership Camp FAQ
What is PBI Teen Leadership Camp?
It is a gathering of teen leaders from across the globe who would like to be part of changing the world for the better for polar bears. Leadership Camp takes place in Churchill, Manitoba Canada, the polar bear capital of the world, at the start of polar bear season in Churchill. It is usually held in late September through the first week of October. We are hosted at the Tundra Buggy® Lodge through the generous support of Frontiers North Adventures.
Who gets to go to Leadership Camp?
Teens are selected by Polar Bears International's Arctic Ambassador Centers and partners. These include schools, zoos, museums, government agencies, and companies that have pledged to work with PBI on behalf of polar bears. For most of the partner organizations, the deadline to apply is in April or May of each year. The deadline is established by each organization.
The list for 2009 includes:
PBI Australia, Gold Coast, Australia
St. George's Independent School, Memphis, TN
Assiniboine Park - Partners in the Park, Winnipeg, MB
San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
Frontiers North Adventures, Winnipeg, MB
Gault, Inc., Fairfield County, CT
Manitoba Conservation, Winnipeg, MB
Parks Canada, Churchill, MB
National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
Cleveland, OH Chapter - American Association of Zookeepers
Como Zoo, St. Paul, MN
Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR
Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, OK
The 2010 Sponsors will be determined by March 2010, after each organization has made their own decision as to their continued participation.
How do I apply to be a Teen Arctic Ambassador?
If you live near one of the partnering agencies or zoos, you could be part of the pool of candidates. Each partnering agency chooses their teen in the spring and uses varying selection criteria. Some zoos require that you be part of the zoo teen program. Other partners reach out to schools in their community to help them find the right ambassador. If you live near one of the partner organizations and are unable to figure out whom to contact from their website, you may send an email to website@polarbearsinternational.org and we will attempt to connect you to the right person.
The minimum requirements for Teen Arctic Ambassadors are:
What does it mean to be a Teen Arctic Ambassador?
It's not just about a cool trip to the cold tundra. The job of the Arctic Ambassador really starts once everyone leaves Leadership Camp. At camp, Arctic Ambassadors are moved, motivated, and inspired to create an action plan on behalf of the polar bears that visit our camp. The Teen Arctic Ambassadors go home to points around the globe and organize community projects that reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases. These gases are warming up the planet and the Arctic ice that the bears need to survive is melting fast. The Arctic Ambassadors are a fast acting team of polar bear pals who are working to clear the air for polar bears, and for people too!
How much does PBI's Teen Leadership Camp cost?
The cost to the Teen Ambassadors is minimal. Students need to be sure that they have appropriate gear for the weather, and they must cover the cost of a passport if they do not already have one. The cost of airfare to and from Winnipeg is covered by the sponsoring organizations and the remainder of the cost of Leadership Camp (about $15,000 per ambassador) is covered by donations and supporters to Polar Bears International.
PBI's Leadership Camp attracted worldwide attention when it was launched in the fall of 2004, and it has continued to grow every year since. Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy® Adventure has been the major sponsor of this program since it was started.
The fall of 2008 marked the fifth year of PBI's Leadership Camp. During the fall polar bear migration, 33 high school students and 12 teachers from around the world traveled to Churchill to experience the tundra in person; meet field scientists and community members; observe polar bears in their natural habitat; learn about how global warming is affecting polar bears; explore how individuals can make a difference; and report back to their classmates, families, and the world via daily blogs. As the Leadership Camp experience wrapped up, each student created a forward action plan to help educate their peers and to spread the word about how each of us can help save the polar bear's habitat.
On their return home, these Ambassadors of the Arctic gave presentations to thousands of their fellow classmates. In addition their blogs were read by over hundreds of thousands of people. Millions more were reached through television interviews and newspaper articles. In addition, Leadership Camp graduates have mounted tree-planting and recycling efforts in their communities, launched polar bear awareness days in which they share conservation tips, motivated fellow to students to switch to reusable bags and coffee mugs, and even inspired entire schools to "go green."
To read the blogs of the 2008 Ambassadors, click here.
This fall, PBI will once again host two Leadership Camps. The first will be for students and the second will be for zoo keepers affliated with our Arctic Ambassador Centers, an equally motivated group that will help us reach an even wider audience.
Keepers carry a unique cachet with zoo guests that can inspire them to do their part to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, as adults, animal keepers have a different level of community involvement than our teen ambassadors. By broadening our line-up of Arctic Ambassadors, PBI hopes to accelerate change at the personal and community levels on behalf of the great white bears.
PBI Teen Leadership Camp FAQ
What is PBI Teen Leadership Camp?
It is a gathering of teen leaders from across the globe who would like to be part of changing the world for the better for polar bears. Leadership Camp takes place in Churchill, Manitoba Canada, the polar bear capital of the world, at the start of polar bear season in Churchill. It is usually held in late September through the first week of October. We are hosted at the Tundra Buggy® Lodge through the generous support of Frontiers North Adventures.
Who gets to go to Leadership Camp?
Teens are selected by Polar Bears International's Arctic Ambassador Centers and partners. These include schools, zoos, museums, government agencies, and companies that have pledged to work with PBI on behalf of polar bears. For most of the partner organizations, the deadline to apply is in April or May of each year. The deadline is established by each organization.
The list for 2009 includes:
PBI Australia, Gold Coast, Australia
St. George's Independent School, Memphis, TN
Assiniboine Park - Partners in the Park, Winnipeg, MB
San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
Frontiers North Adventures, Winnipeg, MB
Gault, Inc., Fairfield County, CT
Manitoba Conservation, Winnipeg, MB
Parks Canada, Churchill, MB
National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
Cleveland, OH Chapter - American Association of Zookeepers
Como Zoo, St. Paul, MN
Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR
Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, OK
The 2010 Sponsors will be determined by March 2010, after each organization has made their own decision as to their continued participation.
How do I apply to be a Teen Arctic Ambassador?
If you live near one of the partnering agencies or zoos, you could be part of the pool of candidates. Each partnering agency chooses their teen in the spring and uses varying selection criteria. Some zoos require that you be part of the zoo teen program. Other partners reach out to schools in their community to help them find the right ambassador. If you live near one of the partner organizations and are unable to figure out whom to contact from their website, you may send an email to website@polarbearsinternational.org and we will attempt to connect you to the right person.
The minimum requirements for Teen Arctic Ambassadors are:
- Must be 16 years old by the first day of Leadership Camp (usually Sept 25 or later)
- Must have a record of leadership
- Must have an interest in conservation
- Must have a drive for change
- Must have a sense of humor
- The polar bear does not have to be your favorite animal! (But it will be by the time you leave Leadership Camp!)
What does it mean to be a Teen Arctic Ambassador?
It's not just about a cool trip to the cold tundra. The job of the Arctic Ambassador really starts once everyone leaves Leadership Camp. At camp, Arctic Ambassadors are moved, motivated, and inspired to create an action plan on behalf of the polar bears that visit our camp. The Teen Arctic Ambassadors go home to points around the globe and organize community projects that reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases. These gases are warming up the planet and the Arctic ice that the bears need to survive is melting fast. The Arctic Ambassadors are a fast acting team of polar bear pals who are working to clear the air for polar bears, and for people too!
How much does PBI's Teen Leadership Camp cost?
The cost to the Teen Ambassadors is minimal. Students need to be sure that they have appropriate gear for the weather, and they must cover the cost of a passport if they do not already have one. The cost of airfare to and from Winnipeg is covered by the sponsoring organizations and the remainder of the cost of Leadership Camp (about $15,000 per ambassador) is covered by donations and supporters to Polar Bears International.