Adventure Risk Challenge

Adventure Risk Challenge (ARC) is a youth development and outdoor education nonprofit serving rural, low-income and English Learner high school students through a multi-year program progression built around four pillars: literacy development, outdoor experiences, leadership development and community building. 

Our goal is to increase accessibility and support for local students who need it most. For all ARC programs and courses, we provide everything students need, including transportation, gear, food, and clothing, and work to remove barriers wherever we can. ARC's courses are offered on a sliding scale, and most students pay $1 a day or less. 

Starting out as a summer-only program in Truckee/Tahoe, we have grown to offer year-round outdoor experiences and programming, including:

• Stepping Stone Summer Courses are an 11-day introductory-level course, recommended for current 9th or 10th graders or for students with other summer commitments. Courses include a multi-day backpacking trip and a basecamp component, as well as an adventure activity. Students write a personal manifesto statement as their culminating writing project.
• Summer Immersive Course is a 34-day, month-long course recommended for current 10th and 11th graders, incorporating hundreds of hours of academics with daily physical fitness, three multi-day backpacking trips, three basecamp components, and rock climbing and/or whitewater rafting. Students write a metaphorical poem and a reflective essay, interview a community member, and take part in a final running challenge. In summer 2026, ARC hosted its basecamp out of Rideout Elementary in Tahoe City, now home to the TAHOE Lab and Outdoor School.
• The Community Leadership Program is a multi-year progression that begins in 9th grade. Each cohort experiences weekly leadership trainings and cohort meetings; one-on-one support from ARC staff; a progression of outdoor experiences and trips; and a youth-led community project at the end of each year. Graduates have access to weekly coaching and peer instructor opportunities within the program, as well as a $1,000 scholarship for post-secondary education.

ARC's goal is to close the achievement gap for underserved high school students. Our outcomes include:

• A 99% on-time high school graduation rate and an 80% enrollment rate at a 2- or 4-year university.
• A 10% average increase on pre- and post-test SAT questions.
• A statistically-significant increase in development assets, including commitment to learning and positive identity, as measured by the DAP (Developmental Assets Profile).

We invest over 80% of our budget directly into programming, powered by the support of hundreds of donors and dozens of grantors who make up 98% of ARC's revenue. Thank you for your support!