Together with support from adult members and our communities, we help children achieve their full potential in life for a brighter future. At the Y, our dedicated staff are professional role models to every child who enters our facility. This mentorship is part of our ongoing work to support the unique Youth Development journeys of all children and teens.
Mentorship for a Brighter Future
Youth Development is a focus area of our Y’s mission to build healthy spirit, mind and body. The Bath Area Family Y offers the Freedom Tour, a life changing program that educates our youth through travel & countless teachable moments, builds relationships among peers and their adult leaders, and gives a heightened sense of pride in our U.S. history. The Freedom Tour is a constantly evolving educational journey for 8th grade middle school students from Bath, Brunswick, and Topsham, designed to be more than a class trip and bigger than a history lesson. The program culminates in a 7-day trip in late spring or early summer.
Preparation for the Program
Students meet with each other and team leaders to learn about the places they will visit and how the history and culture of that place or time impacts our world today. Groups participate in a vision process, learn conflict resolution skills, and discuss expectations and consequences for individual and group behavior.
Points of Interest
In the past the points of interest have been: 9/11 Museum and Memorial, New York City Neighborhoods, Ellis Island, Liberty Island, Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Independence Park in Philadelphia, Amish Country – Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt Presidential Memorials and Monuments – Vietnam, Korean, World War II and Iwo Jima War Memorials – United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Smithsonian, Gettysburg National Park, Rockefeller Center, and the Apollo Theater. As this is an evolving journey, the destinations evolve as well. If you have an 8th grade student attending Bath, Brunswick, or Mt. Ararat Middle School, or will have one in the future, be sure not to miss this opportunity for your child.
Contact Information
To find out more about the Freedom Tour or to bring a program to your school, call or email: Deb Young at 443-4112 x35, freedomtour@bathymca.org