June 2025

Thank You for Being in Full Swing with Us in June

June is here, and Soul Trak is in full swing as we launch a new season of summer adventure and community connection! We’ll kick off the month with our Youth Adventure Week Pre-Orientation and continue with our signature Monthly Bouldering Night and Top Rope Climbing sessions.

We’re celebrating Father’s Day with a special Families in Nature outing—featuring fishing and a boat tour with Anacostia Watershed Society. Our Environmental Leaders Fellows will deepen their impact through an Advocacy 101 workshop with Jamoni from Nature Forward, and our youth will head into Shenandoah National Park for an unforgettable week of hiking, camping, and leadership during Youth Adventure Week.

May 2025

We stepped into May with energy and a strong intention of bringing our community together for a full month of connection in the outdoors. We began with the final session of our Outdoor Climbing Club—celebrated with a potluck—as we wrapped up a powerful season of movement, trust, and teamwork. We welcomed four new volunteers through our Spring Volunteer Orientation, expanding our community of leaders committed to outdoor equity. For Mother’s Day, we led a mindfulness walk at The Well and a Cake Decorating Workshop in collaboration with CHIeats.

In preparation for our July White Water Kayaking Cohort, we hosted an engaging kayaking orientation with Calleva, giving participants a chance to ask questions and meet the staff. Our collaboration with Friendship Tech Prep High School continued with a guided nature hike through Rock Creek Park—a first-time experience for many of the students that sparked new curiosity and comfort in our surrounding natural spaces. Mid-month, our Environmental Leadership Fellows traveled to Harpers Ferry for a weekend retreat filled with hiking, camping, and rafting. Fellows practiced program facilitation and led group activities, and pushed themselves to step into their roles as emerging outdoor leaders. We also partnered with HOKA and Backcountry for a city-based urban hike, blending nature and community while connecting our participants with major outdoor brands.

We rounded out the month with our Monthly Bouldering Night, Top Rope Climbing program, and an exciting youth kayaking trip in partnership with DCHA. With 24 participants paddling up and down the Potomac River, it was an empowering experience for many first-time kayakers. In total, Soul Trak delivered 50 hours of programming in May, offering youth, families, and volunteers new opportunities to challenge themselves, grow together, and explore the outdoors.

Thank you to everyone who showed up and moved with us this month. Your support continues to power this work, and we’re grateful to be in full swing as we head into summer!

See you in June!