The Adventure Sports Café Sport Environment Protection Program (SEPP) has gained national recognition for effectively promoting the need for conservation among junior and senior high school students across the nation. The following schools are currently participating in the SEPP:
Lake Ellen High School
A new addition to the SEPP this year, Lake Ellen High School is situated close to areas where a vast majority of the population enjoys hiking, skiing, biking, and rock climbing. As a result, the resorts and national parks in this region are in particular need of careful maintenance throughout the year to ensure that the natural habitat is preserved. Students at Lake Ellen are actively involved in the SEPP, and had a very successful experience at Wild Boar Mountain Resort this past summer restoring ski and snowboard trails. Ten students went on the trip to Wild Boar, and at least as many are expected to participate this summer.
Munsey Junior High School
Another school added to the SEPP this year, Munsey Junior High School in Colorado traveled to Eldorado Canyon to restore areas of the canyon floor. These youngsters show a high level of enthusiasm for conservation work, no matter how mundane. They are as happy to remove trash as they are to plant saplings. The ASC SEPP is a vital force in fostering this caring attitude in our nation's young people. Twelve students joined ASC staff for the trip to Eldorado Canyon, and the SEPP Director expects as many as twenty to enroll next year.
Oyster Preparatory Academy
Oyster Preparatory Academy has participated in the SEPP for three years running. This year, ASC brought the students to Sebastian Islet in their home state of Florida to help preserve the launch area for surfing at one the top areas on the East Coast. Most students who attend Oyster Prep are from out-of-state and, therefore, have little previous exposure to the ocean environment. Furthermore, since Oyster Prep is a two-year post-secondary school, membership in the SEPP has been uneven from year to year. To encourage their continued participation in the program, ASC introduced a "buddy" plan: Each student currently enrolled in the program can invite a non-participant to join. If the "buddy" enrolls, the current member receives a 15% discount on the purchase of any ASC surfing gear or equipment.