Girls on Ice

A mountaineering adventure and learning experience for young women

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• Cascades

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To apply to Girls on Ice click here. The application deadline is January 31st 2014.

In 2014, we will support two Girls on Ice expeditions!
North Cascades 2014: July 28 – August 8 open to all girls
Alaska 2014: June 20 – July 1 – preference given to girls from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest

Selection Criteria:

“Girls on Ice is not a reward for past good grades or academic achievement – it is an inspiration for future academic and leadership success.”

We do not choose girls based on their individual applications, we choose the team as a whole. We are not necessarily looking for the girls with the best grades or the girls with the most awards – we look at the whole person.
These are the overall criteria for building our team:

1. Diversity of backgrounds: diversity in terms of ethnic, cultural, economic and geographic backgrounds.
2. Diversity of interests and life experiences: what can the girls bring to the team? We seek a balance of interest in science, art, philosophy, social issues, politics, and more.
3. Opportunity: this is a unique experience that is free to the girls, therefore we look for girls who stand to gain the most from this experience. We particularly seek girls who have not had many opportunities to truly challenge themselves, for example, if they are from a small town that does not have much available or if, due to family circumstances, they have not had the chance to participate in many activities. We rely heavily on teacher recommendations.

The application for both expeditions is the same. You can state your preference of expeditions, but because we choose teams, not individual girls, we may decide you fit better on the other team. To be eligible, girls must be at least 15 years old by June 20, and no older than 18 on August 8.

 

For questions please see FAQ below or send questions to apply@girlsonice.org.
Note: Tuition is free. Girls will have to provide transportation to Seattle or Fairbanks and very minimal equipment and clothing. We will provide as much financial assistance as we can to ensure that every girl can go, regardless of economic situation, and we provide all technical equipment and clothing..
The application process is a series of short essay questions and two teacher recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions

about the application process:
1. Are international students eligible? Yes – our Mount Baker WA program is open to all girls. Our Alaska program is geared towards Alaskan & Pacific Northwest girls.

2. Is the 900-character limit for each question on the application or for the application as a whole? The 900-character limit is for each question.

3. Do both of the recommendation letters have to be from teachers at my school? We would like at least one recommendation letter to be from a teacher at your school. The other may be from someone who plays a strong “teacher” role in your life, but may not be at your school. If you choose to ask someone who is not a school teacher, then please have them describe the “teacher” role they have in your life. For example, the director of a play you have been in, or the leader of an organization you are involved in. Family friends do not generally fit this role, unless they have also played a specific teacher-type role in your life.

4. Can I apply for the Alaska expedition if I am not in the Pacific Northwest?  If you are not from the Pacific Northwest (PNW), but you have a good reason why you would like to attend the Alaska program, please indicate in the application form that you would prefer the Alaska trip and state the reason for your preference. Your application will definitely be considered, but we do have to give priority to Alaska and PNW applicants for the Alaska Program
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5. Is the program limited to girls with financial need? No, all girls may apply, we are looking for a diverse team and we look at all aspects of a girl’s interests and background. As a free program, however, we do want to make an effort to provide an experience to girls who might not otherwise have a chance to have an experience like this.

6. Do you accept late applications? To be fair to all girls who apply, we do not accept late applications. If you make every effort to have all parts to us on time, but a teacher’s recommendation is a day or two late, that is fine.

7. Do you make exceptions to the age limitations? Again, to be fair to all girls, we do not make exceptions to the age limitations. We realize that there are very mature 14 year old girls who would do fine in the program or that by luck you might turn 19 just days before the deadline; however, we have decided it is only fair to be firm with the advertised age limits.

8. Do you offer assistance for the travel cost? If your family is unable to pay for the flights, we have some financial assistance available. If you are chosen for the team, we will work with you and your family to discuss options for covering your travel costs.

***Please note that if you are accepted as a participant in one of the Girls on Ice expeditions, you will be required to have a basic physical and a medical form signed by your doctor (similar to that required by many schools for sports programs). Please feel free to contact us with questions at any time regarding this requirement.