The story of how the Academy Charter School expedition came to be is one of unfortunate tragedy, perseverance and the endurance of the human spirit. In the summer of 2007, two sisters participated in Longacre Expeditions programs in Ireland and Maine. Shortly after their expeditions, tragedy struck when the plane their father was flying went down in Alaska and all aboard perished. Devastated by this loss, the girls’ mother eventually summoned up the courage and strength to create the Hendrickson’s Fund for Children and preserve her daughters’ memories by giving back to her local community. The organization’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty and despair that affects at-risk youth by giving them the opportunity to grow through the experiential learning process. Hence, the Academy Charter School Expedition was born.
Due to the current economic state and a decreased school budget, the ACHS expeditions are currently short on funding and in jeopardy. We encourage you to get involved and to help make a difference. Your support will enable us to positively impact the students who can benefit the most from such an experience. We hope to one day bring this model to schools serving at-risk youth throughout the US.
