Archive for January, 2012

Inspired by a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie from completing a cross-country bike trip just after his graduation from Williams, Tom Costley founded Overland in 1984. The first summer, Overland ran three bike trips for 7th, 8th and 9th graders—two Cape Cod & the Islands bike trips and one in New Hampshire and Maine; 28 years later, Overland offers 43 carefully crafted outdoor, service, language and writing programs for students finishing 4th through 12th grade. Recently, Kathleen Igoe sat down to talk with Tom.

Kathleen Igoe: What sets Overland apart from other summer programs?

Tom Costley: Over the years, we’ve stuck with what we do best: small groups of great kids led by inspiring leaders. We have created 43 fun, challenging programs that focus on teamwork and consideration for others.

Kathleen Igoe: Why does having small groups make such a big difference?

Tom Costley: Our small groups (12 students and two adult leaders) create spirited, close-working teams, allowing students to thrive in an environment of friendship and fun. Twelve is large enough for lots of fun and lots of friends, but small enough so that you get to know everyone really well and no one is ever lost in the shuffle. Some organizations say they have the same ratio of leaders to students with a group of say, 18 students and 3 leaders, but I think that’s too big and chaotic for the kids not to mention the difficulties of a 3-way leadership team.

Kathleen Igoe: Talk a little bit about Overland’s leaders.

Tom Costley: Over the last few summers, we’ve had around 140 or 150 leaders. About 60 of them are going to be returning for their second, third, fourth or fifth summer. To find our new staff, we recruit from about two dozen of the top colleges and universities across the country (schools like Williams, Middlebury and Dartmouth), spending eight months a year on recruiting, interviewing, hiring and training. It starts in the fall when we travel to all of these schools to seek out and meet with hundreds of campus leaders—an effort that generates around 600 applications for just 80 new leadership positions. Our screening and selection process is rigorous and thorough: we require a lengthy application, three professional written references, and an in-person, face-to-face interview, usually in a group setting with multiple members of our staff (in addition we do four background checks– CORI, SORI, drivers license and local police department checks). In the spring, our leaders will become certified in First Aid, CPR and lifesaving and their summer starts here in Williamstown with leader training. All of leaders come back for leader training regardless of whether they’re new or returning so we can focus everyone in on the importance of the summer. We go over safety, trip specifics, communication and what our expectations are of them. No other organization invests the resources that we do to put together the finest summer leadership staff possible. It’s hard work and takes an enormous amount of time and energy but we’ve found it makes all the difference in the world.

Kathleen Igoe: What do you look for in an Overland leader?

Tom Costley: Overland leaders are ambitious, accomplished 20-25 year olds who are eager to spend a summer with kids. We look for great role models who have been leaders all their lives—they were leaders in high school of teams and organizations, and they are leaders on their college campuses today. Not only are they talented, prepared and focused but they’re dynamic, supportive and fun. They appreciate Overland students, and they are eager to help them grow in confidence and independence.

Kathleen Igoe: Each year, you add new programs; how do you decide where to run these trips?

Tom Costley: In early September, I ask everyone in the office to send me suggestions for their ideal Overland trip. Together, we sit down and talk about people’s ideas, as we look at last summer’s enrollment and student and parent questionnaires. What programs had four or five sections last summer? What types of programs are Overland alumni requesting? When Overland students asked for more challenge hiking trips but within a shorter time frame, we created Appalachian Trail Challenge, Teton Challenge and the Colorado 14er Challenge. After we sent two groups to Tanzania in 2010, we developed more field studies programs in Ecuador and in Thailand.

Kathleen Igoe: Who plans your programs?

Tom Costley: Overland’s logistics directors are former all-star Overland leaders. Many of them have led for three or four summers so they understand the importance of a well-planned itinerary for a successful Overland program. They spend the year planning every detail of our programs—they make the reservations at campgrounds, get the backcountry permits, find the safest biking routes, set up the service projects, hire the language teachers, revise the leader notes based on last summer’s programs and are constantly tweaking the trip to improve upon it year after year. In mid-June, they also train Overland leaders during our 10-day leader training in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Kathleen Igoe: What are your most popular programs?

Tom Costley: There are a few programs that we’ve been running for many years like Cape Cod & the Islands, Vermont, and Rocky Mountain Explorer that will be perennial favorites. However, as we’ve grown and expanded our offerings to add service, language study abroad, writing and introductory options, I’ve seen more groups choosing to go on our Language & Exploration Spain, New England Adventure and Costa Rica programs. And of course, whenever we add new trips, there’s heightened interest in those offerings, especially among our alumni, whether that’s the College Essay Program or Field Studies Tanzania.

Kathleen Igoe: Which programs will fill up the fastest?

Tom Costley: That’s hard to predict and depends on the particular program. For some, like Cape Cod, we can have multiple sections for each departure date. Each group will have a different pair of leaders and a modified itinerary so they retain that unique group experience. For others, we’re limited and can only run one group. I always tell families that they can call us and check on the exact availability of a program to get an idea of how fast it’s filling. Most will fill in January and February but others will have spots well into the spring.

Kathleen Igoe: Anything else parents should know?

Tom Costley: When talking to families, I also add that parents and students can call us anytime to get more information for a trip so that they’re making the right decision. We staff the office seven days a week in January and February and are happy to answer questions or send references for any of our trips. We’ve also put a lot of work into our website the last two years so I think it’s become a great resource. You can learn more about all of our programs, read a profile of every single leader we hire and now you can even apply online for a trip. During the summer, we have trip updates on the blog too so parents can stay connected.

Kathleen Igoe: Thanks for chatting.

Tom Costley: My pleasure. Call Overland today to learn more about who we are and what we do: 413-458-9672.