Mission

POST 84 is a student-focused outdoor education organization that strives to encourage environmental awareness, leadership, diversity, self-confidence, and knowledge of the outdoors. We aim to do this by providing accessible outdoor educational experiences that appeal to high school students.

POST develops comfort, confidence, and community in nature for high school students while fostering environmental stewardship and leadership skills through student-led outdoor education experiences. POST serves primarily high schoolers in Seattle public schools, with the majority of students attending Garfield, Franklin and Cleveland High Schools in central and south Seattle, though participation is not limited to these schools. As part of our mission, POST 84 actively tries to create opportunities for participation in outdoor activities for persons from communities traditionally underrepresented in outdoor recreation.

Leadership & Oversight

We are a youth-led organization - run by highschoolers. There are 75+ student-staff leaders each year that lead trips. A smaller group of 18 Executive Committee (EC) student leaders have key leadership responsibilities like Finance, Fundraising, Outreach, Trip Leads and more. EC students delegate responsibilities, plan programming, and lead the broader team.

Adult support is provided by paid staff members who mentor and support the student leaders who are running the programming. Adults also serve on our Board, which is made up of adult alumni of the program, community members, and parents, as well as student leaders from the Executive Committee. 

All organizational and trip planning decisions are made during weekly student-led executive team meetings and monthly board meetings. POST staff and the Executive Committee are made up exclusively of students, with a governing Board made up of the student Executive Committee as well as adult members including alumni, parents and dedicated community members. Four adult employees support and advise the student leaders, and attend trips ensuring safety and support for the students on the trips. Board meetings are directed, planned, and run by student members while adult board members provide support, feedback and guidance. Trips are designed, planned, and led by student staff, with vetted and trained adult chaperones providing trip support. Students on staff and the Executive Committee take pride and ownership in running POST 84.

Values

POST 84 is committed to being accessible and welcoming to everyone.  As issues arise regarding personal growth, race, cultural identity, sexual orientation in our leaders and campers, we do our best to support them and connect them with other organizations who also support them.

Safety

Student safety is a priority that is reflected throughout the organization. We have the following procedures in place to prevent abuse and maximize safety:

• Mandatory child sexual abuse training for all adult employees and volunteer chaperones 

• Background Checks for all volunteer adult chaperones 

• Adults are never alone with just one student, unless meeting in a public location

• Adults and students sleep in separate spaces on trips

• Minimum of two adults on every trip 

• Students have the opportunity through anonymous surveys to report unusual, uncomfortable, and inappropriate behavior 

• Adult employees oversee the risk management plan for every trip, ensuring that appropriate Wilderness safety precautions are in place. Employees hold wilderness safety certifications from organizations such as the National Outdoor Leadership School, American Mountain Guides Association, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, Mental Health First Aid, Washington State Department of Health, and Leave No Trace, among others

• Outings adhere to National Park, National Forest, and any other relevant permitting processes

History

POST 84 began in 1984 when Ken Morrison, an ambitious science teacher at Garfield High School, was encouraged to bring students out to Cleveland High School Memorial Forest to participate in hands-on learning. Since then, the program has provided outdoor educational experiences for over 8,000 students from Garfield High School and the Seattle area.

Over the years students assumed more and more of the responsibility for running and managing the program. Eventually, POST 84 became defined as a student run program managed and advised by an adult board of directors. In 30 years, POST 84 has developed a student leadership structure that is innovative and inspiring to its student participants. Currently, POST 84 is not associated with the Seattle Public Schools, and operates as an independent non-profit organization.

Activities

POST 84 runs a variety of trips in the greater Seattle area ranging from rock climbing to snow camping. To see our current trips, visit the Trips page. All trips are entirely planned and run by student staff, with a number of adult chaperones who supervise the activities.

Scholarship + Gear

Scholarships are available for any student who wants to come on a trip. We also have a large inventory of gear which are available, and encouraged for students to borrow for trips. For more information on gear, contact the gear manager at gear@post84.org.

Expectations on Trips

POST 84 is a drug and alcohol free organization with consequences for engaging in these behaviors and others that violate our behavior contract. Consequences include discussion with a POST 84 director, report to parent/guardian, removal from trip, and potential suspension from trips for 6 months. There are other values and requirements that our staff members strive to follow. Below you can see our expectations for all participants.

Disassociation With Seattle Public Schools

Due to new district policy related obstacles in 2014, POST 84 as a program decided to become independent from the Seattle Public School district to further our mission.

POST 84 is now a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Our Federal Tax ID is 20-5978450

COVID-19 Policies

POST 84 has made the decision that if you aren’t feeling well please just stay home. For the safety of our staff and other campers on the trip. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Covid-19 policies, please reach out to our executive director at director@post84.org.