The numbers speak for themselves - 7 out of 10 students join us because of a personal recommendation or are returning for a second summer. 75% of our professional staff return each year and over half were once students themselves.

Lifeworks is backed by over 30 years of experience in the field of experiential education. Combined with ActionQuest and Sea|mester we are one of the oldest and largest organizations of our type, delivering educational programs to over 700 students a year. Our safety record, combined staff experience, and long history of both student and parent satisfaction make us the natural choice for teens looking beyond traditional summer programs.

We take great pride in the knowledge that our full-time staff are some of the most highly qualified and experienced in the industry. Directors Mike Meighan and Jim Stoll sail with our larger program in the British Virgin Islands every summer, preferring to keep an active role in the program that they created at the grassroots level.

For our summer staff, we are proud to attract and recruit the best in the field. Our staff consists of avid world travelers, highly qualified professionals, and fun and experienced facilitators and educators. All members of our team are dynamic, multi-talented, and passionate individuals with an unending devotion and commitment to the safety and experience of our students.

Click here to learn more about our staff.

At Lifeworks, we strive for positive change in the world and transformational experiences for all those involved. Students are guaranteed to grow during our programs and have a lot of fun in the process. Our programs are non-competitive, service-based, and grounded in experiential education. All involve international travel, culture, and adventure.

To ensure Lifeworks is living out its vision and mission, we limit our programs to small, co-ed groups of 8 to 26 teenagers. This encourages close friendships to form while fostering unique, hands-on experiences. Students have a greater feeling of accomplishment from having completed things themselves, and their self-reliance and confidence soar as a result. Volunteering, living, and learning as part of a small team provides a perfect environment to develop these soft skills as well as leadership, compassion, and communication.

No previous experience is necessary for any Lifeworks program.

Lifeworks commitment to professional excellence requires partnerships with organizations equally as committed to environmental and humanitarian work. We are proud to partner with multiple local, national, and international service organizations where the need is authentic, and our results are long-lasting. Please see the "Affiliates" page of your particular program for more information on the organizations we work with.

Unique to Lifeworks is that in addition to our wide variety of service adventure programs, we also offer three other distinct paths for those who wish to experience and learn more with us. No other program offers this level of diverse instruction and experience.

ActionQuest is the teen summer adventure arm of Lifeworks and offers programs in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Galapagos & Ecuador, Tahiti and Australia. ActionQuest combines international adventure with cultural immersion and travel. Most programs are run aboard sailing vessels and include scuba diving certifications and tropical marine biology. Visit www.actionquest.com for more information.

Arc Academic Expeditions offers diverse educational and academic summer experiences for mature teenagers ages 15 - 19. All Arc expeditions are international, designed around a core academic, real-time curriculum, one that truly utilizes our world and our environment to bring the subject to life and ignite a passion for learning. Visit www.ArcAcademicExpeditions.com for more information.

Living full-time aboard our traditional schooners and sailing through extraordinary destinations that span the globe, Sea|mester teaches accredited academics unconfined by the four walls of a traditional classroom. Visit www.seamester.com for more information.

This is a unique and fundamental element of all of our programs. Held at intervals throughout the trip, the forum is designed to complement the experiential learning that takes place throughout the day. Students have the opportunity to participate in – and lead – discussions and reflections on a variety of topics related to their experience.

Of all of the skills that students take from their programs, it is the life skills that can carry them the farthest. At Lifeworks, we feel that while building one's life, it is important to base it on a foundation of compassion and personal integrity. For many of our teens, it is the Lifeworks Forum that helps them examine and strengthen this foundation.

In an increasingly competitive world, where colleges and employers look beyond the grades of students to the experiences that shape them, Lifeworks offers a unique and extraordinary experience that stands out on college applications and resumes. As an inspiration for school essays, video projects and more, many alumni give Lifeworks credit for giving them the "leg up" in application processes.

As a dedicated educational and community service program, the opportunities for personal and academic growth are limitless. Upon completion of a Lifeworks program, most students earn an impressive 100 hours of community service and are automatically awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). Read more about the PVSA by clicking here, and learn more about how Lifeworks helps its students achieve college and employment goals at Our Impact page.