Our Mission
Our community service programs offer teens a summer of self-discovery through volunteering, cultural immersion and interaction with populations in need.

Our mission is to facilitate teens as they evolve through this experiential learning process and provide them with an environment that is conducive to growth, understanding and development.

At 360° Student Travel we know that each individual has something special to offer and wants to give of themselves. We provide the tools, the exposure to people and projects and allow for our tour members to take the reins and show us just how much they can accomplish.

Leaders Worth Following
360° Leaders are the backbone of our dynamic programs. They share an enthusiastic commitment to our mission as well as to safety. Our Leaders are skilled in providing a balance between a structured environment and a warm , inviting atmosphere conducive to self-expression and growth.

360° Leaders are patient mentors who are gifted in communicating with teens and facilitating their immersion into new places and experiences. A sense of humor and big smile are also important characteristics shared by all of us at 360°. All Leaders are certified in First Aid and CPR and there is a certified Lifeguard on each program. We have a true appreciation for the teen frame of mind and understand that laughter is a daily ingredient of our successful formula.

Please speak with our alumni to hear first hand about the quality and dedication of our staff. Read more about our leaders…click here.

Group Size – Perfect Ratios
Groups usually range from 12-21 participants, with a minimum of 1 leader to 6 campers. For activities with service partners and professional outfitters, there are an even greater number of guides. Through cooperation and trust, your group quickly becomes a tightly-knit family. The friendships that blossom are yours forever!

Accommodation
We have great respect for your interest in community service. You deserve to have that opportunity – AND to be treated well yourself. That’s where we come in. We believe in reasonable comfort, not primitive accommodations. For your convenience and consistency of the group experience, we do not have any home stays. We use college dorms, lodges, bed & breakfasts, a seaside farm, and hotels. You’ll feel very good about what you do – and, with 360, you’ll just plain feel good. Please see the specific program that interests you for more information on lodging. Our Community Service programs stay indoors.

Taste the Difference
Nutritious and delicious food is really important to us. No matter where we are. Our tour members tell us over and over again they can’t believe how good (and plentiful) our food is – reward enough for us!

Meal plans vary by destination. For example in Costa Rica we enjoy local cuisines including rice and beans with chicken and we also eat in restaurants serving North American type food such as pizza, burgers, and salads. When in South Africa we may enjoy a local African dish and most of the time we will have a buffet dinner including mostly North American type dishes.

Part of the travel experience is immersing oneself in the local cuisine and culture so please bring with you an open attitude and a willingness to try different types of food. This will surely add to your adventure.

In Hawaii and Alaska, meals are served at University cafeterias, restaurants and our groups prepare bagged lunches and even some dinners. Breakfast in Alaska is at the University Cafeteria or respective hotel and breakfast in Hawaii is prepared by the tour members in their suites and provided by the hotel in Maui.

Our Service Partners
360° Student Travel partners with established organizations that have a long history of achieving their missions and integrating teen volunteers into their efforts. For information about Service Partners, please see the program that interests you.

We are proud to be working in conjunction with these worthy organizations:

Are You Ready to Become a Volunteer?
Participants should be prepared for our program. Once you are part of a team, you are committing yourself not only to hard work on service days (from 6-8 hours) but also to your fellow volunteers and those we will be assisting. In sharing this rewarding experience, you are guaranteed to form lasting friendships and will no doubt take away much more than you give. You will receive a certificate of completion recognizing 30-80 hours (depending on program) of service and listing projects accomplished.

How do I apply for your program?
To apply for any of our community service trips, simply fill out our application for enrollment at the back of the brochure or apply on line. Once we process your application, we will send you a reference form to give to either a teacher, guidance counselor, or some school or camp professional. We must receive it back, completed, within 2 weeks in order to continue to hold your spot on the program. Once we receive it, you’re all set! One of the directors will look forward to speaking with each participant and their parents prior to the summer to review the challenges and rewards of these programs.

Can Service be fun? - Oh Yeah!

• It takes teamwork, cooperation and leadership to succeed in a service project. One of the 360° project activities is modeled after hit television program "The Apprentice." The spirit and fun in this activity is contagious. You market and sell baked goods with your team to raise funds for hungry children. You bake in a television studio kitchen under the guidance of a professional pastry chef and then sell your goods at a downtown kiosk in Anchorage Alaska.
• You can also build something as a team that you can actually see being put to use by the beneficiaries. For example your team can build a playground from scratch for children living in a remote village in Central America. Using your creativity, you can come up with all sorts of designs such as hanging tires by chains to serve as swing sets and collecting bamboo from the jungle to use as ladders. You’ll come full circle and receive instant gratification at the inaugural opening when you watch the children laugh and play as they enjoy something they would not have without your ingenuity.

Transport
Land transport varies depending on the program. You may travel by 7 passenger van, 8 passenger SUV or highway coach.

360° Student Travel Value And Over The Top Service!
There really is a difference! We pay painstaking attention to detail and take client service to the next level for teens and parents alike.

In addition to your Director and Leaders who travel with you daily, we have several additional Company Directors and Regional Supervisors crisscrossing North America and overseas to maintain our high standards of quality. This incredible depth and reserve of resources (with a combined total of over 200 summers of experience) enables us to lend an extra hand whenever and wherever needed to ensure your summer’s success.

All activities, meals, land transportation, lodging and 24/7 support from our full time Directors and communication centers are included. This can add up to tremendous value! We provide everything – the only items you require are those of personal nature such as toiletries, clothing, duffle bag.

Keeping in Touch
While you’re away having the summer of your life, your parents feel good too. They can keep in touch with our communication centers 24/7. We’re as in touch as any trip operator could possibly be – via cell phones, email and two-way radios. The goal: uncompromising safety and peace of mind, day after day, hour by hour, minute to minute.

Group Dynamics and Dynamic Groups
We’ve been providing healthy, positive group dynamics for teens for 26 years. We use this experience to make sure that every day is socially comfortable from your first day to your final dinner. We take great care in assembling groups to look out for your social experience. It begins with the type of kids who join us and it helps that many of our travelers come as individuals and that we have genuinely, geographically diverse enrollment – result happy teens. Our leaders then recognize and use natural stage in group development to build and promote strong leaders and effective relationships. When it comes down to it, how much you enjoy your trip depends on how quickly your group becomes a family. Nobody understands this better than we do.

Today’s Student Travelers, Tomorrow’s Leaders
As you travel to new places and different cultures, the new experience may challenge your ideas and preconceived notions about how the world works. We recognize this so we develop a supportive environment to explore, question and learn. This is nurtured by our leaders’ open and non-judgmental guidance. When the group learns to trust, respect and support each other, the opportunity for growth is amazing! We become more aware of how we judge people and discuss the way we think about them.