When is Teen Paddle?
After a three year hiatus during the pandemic, the 2024 paddle is back and earlier in the summer than usual. This year the Teen Paddle will take place July 8th - 12th. Registration opens Feb 15th, 2024. This program is for students entering 9th-12th grades in Fall 2024. Applications are due by May 13th.
What is the “Teen Paddle”?
The Teen Paddle is a week-long canoeing expedition geared towards high school students. The program gives teens a chance to practice leadership and teamwork skills as they navigate the river, conduct water quality tests, study plant communities, help with a stewardship project, camp by the riverside and prepare meals together.
Paddlers enjoy a unique, on-the-water experience that features educational programming and builds a strong stewardship ethic for the river and its natural resources. Campers will become immersed in Patuxent River issues and explore their role in solving them. They end the week with a presentation to local leaders, friends, and family.
What is the schedule like?
Our paddle begins at Patuxent River Park where we will introduce paddle safety and leadership skill building. Mon, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be our overnight camping adventure as part of the “marsh life” of the Patuxent River. Campers stay in tents, prepare meals with a gas stove, and have limited running water at most campsites. Campfires are a nightly event and s’mores are guaranteed. Campers blog about their experiences for loved ones back home to enjoy while they are away. There’s a presentation Friday afternoon at the Patuxent River Park for friends, family, and park visitors. It is a MUST SEE!
COVID-19 Precautions
Given the close interactions of staff and participants during our expedition, we are implementing COVID-19 safety measures for the Teen Paddle. COVID vaccination is recommended for all participants and staff. Additional safety considerations include a personal tent option for participants and optional mask-wearing in indoor spaces. These measures may be adapted to meet local, state, and federal guidance if needed as the paddle gets closer.
Prior paddlers have…
- Become members of the National Honors Society
- Become summer interns
- Gained self-confidence
- Learned new skills
- Volunteered with wetland research projects
- Gained STEM experience for school credit
- Become more confident talking about environmental issues
“At the beginning of the first day I was really unsure about how this adventure was going to turn out... We got to go canoeing in the afternoon, and...I was very nervous at first, mostly because I had never been in a canoe, or the [one in charge of steering] one. After much frustration I finally got the hang of it . As my mom drove away, I thought of all the future fun I was going to have.
-Noah, 9th grade, South River HS STEM
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What is the cost of the paddle?
Fees for Teen Paddle 2024:
Recognizing that different families have different abilities to pay, we offer voluntary three-tier pricing for the Teen Paddle. Parents and guardians may choose the tier that is most suitable for their budget and family. No matter your choice in tier, your paddler/s will receive the same experience. This tiered pricing offers the opportunity for families to take an active role in choosing the cost of their teen's environmental leadership paddle experience.
Here is what the three tiers represent:
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Tier III: This rate does not reflect the true cost of the paddle. This reduced rate is made possible by Friends of Jug Bay and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maryland. This tier is ideal for families with multiple teens. Tier III rate is $200
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Tier II: This rate reflects the cost of staff, utilities, and other operational costs. This tier is partially subsidized but offers families the opportunity to give a little more. Tier II rate is $250
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Tier I: This rate accounts most closely to the actual cost of the paddle. It includes the day to day costs of Tier II plus maintenance, food, office expenses, and other administrative costs. Families that choose this rate are choosing to provide much needed upgrades and grow for the future. Tier I rate is $300
Scholarships are available (courtesy of Friends of Jug Bay) to any paddlers who need additional assistance beyond Tier III to pay for the Teen Paddle. Cost should never be a barrier to participation. If this is you, please contact us directly by emailing
Olivia.Wisner1@Maryland.gov.
More information
For details on how to apply, frequently asked questions, photos and blogs from prior paddles visit
teenpaddle.com. Note: we’ve received feedback that this link is sometimes blocked on school computers.
If you’re interested in participating but have questions please email Olivia Wisner, Watershed Education Specialist at
olivia.wisner1@maryland.gov
