Referral Partners

Community Partnership

Referral Partners

Two ways to bring young people closer to the wild

Refer a Student

See It For Yourself

The WILD Scholars Story

"What I really want for every single young person who touches the program is the feeling of: Wow. What a cool and actually accessible example of a good way to be a human being."

— Eli Marienthal, Co-Founder & Executive Director

Two Ways to Partner

Which Path Is Yours?

Every referral partner brings something different. Choose the path that fits your relationship to this work.

Path One — Refer a Student

Know Someone?

Referral partners are integral to the WILD Scholars Program. This network of caring and trusted adults — mostly teachers, coaches, and other organization staff — connects eligible teenagers to Back to Earth and the WILD summer program by nominating them for the scholarship opportunity.

Mark Sanchez

Your Contact

Mark Sanchez

Program Manager

If you work with and want to connect teens in your life to this program, become a referral partner.

In addition to a full scholarship for a summer backpacking trip, WILD Scholars participate in several day-long programs throughout the spring to prepare them for the summer, and receive focused one-on-one support to create a success plan for the summer.

MarkSanchez@BackToEarth.org

Email Mark directly

General Inquiries

Contact us with any other questions

What Am I Committing To?

Two Simple
Commitments

Referral partner working with youth
01

Identify & Nominate

You commit to identifying and nominating teens who could benefit from the social, intellectual, and emotional richness of a summer WILD adventure, and from the peer community, mentor support, and ongoing connection with Back to Earth that comes with being part of the WILD Scholars Program. You don't have to identify many candidates — one or two per year is fine.

Preparing for the wilderness trip
02

Support & Stay Engaged

You commit to support your nominees through the application process and to remain a point of contact for Back to Earth, to ensure that scholars who you nominated stay fully engaged throughout the program.

Each Scholarship Includes

Everything a Scholar Needs

Full Trip Scholarship

All expenses covered for one of our 10-day rites of passage backpacking trips in the summer.

All Gear Provided

All the gear and equipment needed — from backpacks to boots to sleeping bags.

One-on-One Support

Focused support and communication for participants and their families throughout.

Two Spring Prep Sessions

Day-long gatherings with the full WILD Scholars cohort before the trip to prepare.

Ongoing Mentorship

Continued mentorship and leadership opportunities year-round.

Back to Earth Swag

Scholars receive Back to Earth gear and become part of the alumni community.

Young person in the wilderness
On the trail
Group in the mountains

Who Should I Nominate?

The Right Candidate

Current 7th–11th graders (going into 8th–12th grades next fall)

Students who are interested, engaged, and able to commit

Students seeking mentorship, new experiences, and new relationships

Students who are curious and open-minded

Students who would not have access without this support

Students who ride the edge of engagement and disengagement with their future or community

2026 marks our 12th season of WILD.

Rather than just providing tuition assistance, we've come to think of access largely in terms of relationship building and the cultivation of trust that allows teens to step fully into their summer experience.

How It Works

1

Connect

Reach out to Mark to learn about the program and share information about the youth you have in mind.

2

Nominate

Identify and nominate a teen who would benefit from a WILD summer adventure.

3

Support

Help your nominee through the application process and stay engaged as their point of contact.

4

They Thrive

Your scholar receives a full scholarship, gear, prep sessions, and a life-changing wilderness experience.

Begin the Journey

Ready to bring your students
back to earth?

Three steps from first conversation to transformative school culture.

Explore

Free School Assessment

A 30-minute call to understand your school's needs and share what's possible.

Start any time

Pilot

Spring 2026 Custom Retreat

A single experience designed for your students — the beginning of something lasting.

Spring 2026

Partner

Multi-year Partnership

Fall 2026 and beyond — building a culture that compounds year over year.

Fall 2026+

Get My Free Assessment eli@backtoearth.org

backtoearth.org — serving Bay Area schools since 2014

Free School Assessment Process

What You'll Get

  • A 30-minute discovery call to understand your school community and student needs

  • Customized program recommendations tailored to your students and calendar

  • A clear picture of what a Back to Earth wilderness experience looks like for your cohort

  • Support in building student buy-in and family communication

  • Clear next steps to move from conversation to experience

How It Works

1

Submit Your School Information

Tell us about your school, the students you serve, and what you're hoping to create.

2

Schedule Your Free Assessment

We'll set up a 30-minute call with Eli to explore what's possible for your community.

3

Receive Your Custom Proposal

We'll follow up with a tailored program outline and pricing options for your cohort.

4

Bring Your Students to the Wild

From logistics to facilitation — we handle everything so you can focus on your students.

Get My Free Assessment

Questions? Email eli@backtoearth.org

Start the conversation

Tell us a little about your school.

STEP 1 OF 3 About you
~2 min
01 — About you

First, who are we talking with?

Give us the basics so we know who you are and where you are coming from.

02 — The students

Who are the students you have in mind?

You do not need to have the program figured out. Tell us who you are thinking about and what direction feels relevant.

What are you hoping to explore?

Choose anything that feels relevant.

03 — Why now?

What brought you here?

A little context helps us arrive at the conversation already understanding what matters most.

This helps us understand what is happening in your school before we talk.

Optional
Next: choose a time to talk.

After you send this, you’ll continue directly to our booking calendar.

We only use your details to reply to this enquiry.

2025 Pilot Partnership

KIPP Esperanza
High School

East Palo Alto's KIPP Esperanza became Back to Earth's first Summer Bridge school partner in 2025 — bringing a full cohort of students into a shared Sierra Nevada wilderness experience. The model is now open to additional schools and organizations.

Connect about a partnership

Full cohort wilderness immersion in the Sierra Nevada

Custom program design with school leadership

Pre-trip preparation sessions at your school

All gear, logistics, and facilitation handled by Back to Earth

Post-trip integration support and community building

Youth Alive Oakland — community partner expanding access across the Bay

From Our Partners

Voices from Partner Organizations

"Back to Earth's Summer Bridge partnership with KIPP Esperanza gave our students something they couldn't find anywhere else — a shared wilderness experience that built trust, confidence, and brotherhood in a way that carried right back into school."

School Leadership

KIPP Esperanza High School, East Palo Alto

"Youth Alive has always believed in holistic development for Oakland's young people. Back to Earth's wilderness programs offer exactly the kind of transformative, community-centered experience that our youth deserve and too rarely get access to."

Program Staff

Youth Alive Oakland

Trusted by Bay Area Schools

The Schools We
Walk With

A decade of partnership with schools that treat wilderness not as a field trip — but as a pillar of their culture.

Founding Partner

The East Bay School

2016

Partner Since

Outdoor education program anchor — a decade of building culture through wilderness immersion.

Partner School

Inaugural WILD Partner

KIPP Esperanza High School

2016

Partner Since

Leadership pipeline and 7-day Tahoe trips that have become a cornerstone of the school's identity.

Partner School

Founding Partner

Millennium School

2016

Partner Since

Immersive retreats and culture-building experiences woven into school life every year.

Partner School

Founding Partner

Lodestar Academy

2016

Partner Since

Land-based, healing-centered programs grounded in ancestral wisdom and student voice.

Partner School

Also Partnering With

Crystal Springs Uplands

Custom outdoor education programs designed around student leadership and community.

Nomad Middle School

Outdoor education and student development at the heart of their experiential curriculum.

6+

Partner Schools

10

Years of Partnership

100%

Renewal Rate

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions

Reach out to Program Manager Mark Sanchez at MarkSanchez@BackToEarth.org or via our contact form. We'll schedule a conversation to understand your organization's needs and the youth you serve. From there, we'll set up a partnership agreement and provide referral materials.
We serve Bay Area youth ages 13-18 from communities historically underrepresented in wilderness education. Ideal candidates are those who would benefit from outdoor experiences but lack the financial resources, access, or exposure to participate independently. No prior outdoor experience is required.
There is no cost to become a referral partner. Scholars receive full or partial scholarships covering program tuition, gear, transportation, and year-round mentorship. Partners help identify and refer students; we handle the rest.
From referral to enrollment typically takes 4-6 weeks. After you submit a referral, we review the application, interview the student and family, and make a decision. Programs run throughout the year with summer expeditions being our flagship offering.
Yes. We maintain ongoing communication with partners throughout the program. You'll receive updates on participant progress, program outcomes, and post-program impact reports. We believe partners should see the results of their referrals.
Back to Earth works directly with school or organization leadership to design a custom wilderness experience for a cohort of students. We handle all logistics, gear, and facilitation. Programs typically include pre-trip preparation sessions at your school, a multi-day backcountry immersion, and post-trip integration support. Contact us to start a conversation.

Become a Referral Partner

Together, we can create more opportunities for young people to experience the transformative power of wilderness