Note: This page is a preview only! It is meant to show you what may be on some of our North American applications. We will not accept this preview in an email. Not all information below is represented in the final application. You must fill out our application through our application site, apply.inspiringgirls.org

Inspiring Girls* Expeditions North America Preview

Information about Inspiring Girls Expeditions & COVID-19

We are planning to run field expeditions in 2024. Our field expeditions will implement appropriate COVID-19 mitigation measures. Specific measures (i.e., masks, vaccine requirement, testing, potential cancellation policy, etc.) will depend on factors including, but not limited to, our various host institutions’ policies and the rate of COVID-19 transmission at the expedition’s location.

Basic Information

Contact Information

  • Street Address

  • City

  • Country

  • State/Province/Region

  • Zip/Postal Code

  • Phone Number

School Information

  • Current Grade Level

  • Current School

  • City

  • Homeschooled?

Parent or Guardian Name & Contact Information

Have you applied to Inspiring Girls Expeditions before?

  • Yes

  • No

Are you a 2022 Expeditions@Home alum?

  • Yes

  • No

How did you hear about us?

  • Facebook, Instagram, or other social media

  • Internet search

  • News article in: _______

  • Family member

  • Friend

  • School/Teacher

  • Event, please specify: _______

  • Other, please specify: _______

Expedition Selection

In 2023, we will be running field expeditions only. Alumni from Expeditions@Home 2022 may apply to join our field expeditions in 2023. The dates for each program are available on our website.

Please rank your top two (3) expedition choices.

Although we will do our best to honor your preference, please keep in mind that we are not always able to put selected participants on their first-choice expedition. Regardless of which expedition you might be selected for, your experience will be rich and rewarding!

  • First Choice

  • Second Choice

  • Third Choice

  • No expedition preference

Are there any expeditions you would NOT be able to join next summer?

Please list the expedition(s) you would not be able to join and tell us a little bit about why.

About You

1. I like to be referred to as… (Optional)

Please tell us your pronouns. A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun; in this case, a word that substitutes for your name. Examples include she/her/hers and they/them/theirs. This question is optional.

2. My gender can best be described as_______

3. I would describe myself as transgender.

  • Yes

  • No

  • Prefer not to say

4. I feel I can best be described as…(Check all that apply)

  • American Indian, First Nation, Alaska Native, Canadian Inuit, or Indigenous

  • African American or Black

  • Asian

  • Latina/e

  • Middle Eastern or North African

  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

  • White

  • My identity is not represented here. I identify as: _______

5. My family’s lifestyle can best be described as…

  • Upper or upper middle class

  • Middle class

  • Lower middle or working class

  • Other, please specify: _______

6. I grew up in a(n) _______ neighborhood

  • Urban

  • Suburban

  • Rural

7. What languages do you speak at home?

8. I like to participate in class by…

Do you prefer group work, or working individually? Do you like to participate in class discussions? What is your learning style?

9. My favorite school subject is: (Check up to 3)

  • Art

  • English or Language Arts

  • Foreign Language

  • History

  • Math

  • Music

  • Life or Physical Sciences

  • Social Sciences

  • Physical Education

  • Other, please specify: _______

10. Three words my friends would use to describe me are…

11. Do you work outside of school?

  • No

  • Yes

12. After high school, I want to… (Check all that apply)

  • go to college

  • enter the workforce

  • take a gap year

  • join the military

  • not sure yet

  • other, please specify: _______

Because…

Please share with us the reasons behind your post-high school plans.

13. The highest degree(s) my parent/guardian(s) earned are… (Check all that apply)

  • High school diploma or GED

  • Technical diploma

  • Associate’s degree

  • Four year degree

  • Master’s degree

  • PhD

  • Other, please specify: _______

Short Answer Questions

Please answer the following questions with one or two paragraphs. Specific examples and stories are generally more useful and engaging to the application review committee than general statements. Your answers to these questions are the best way for us to learn about you! Each question is limited to 900 characters, or about 1-2 paragraphs.

1. Please describe your interest in Inspiring Girls Expeditions.

Why do you want to participate in this program? How do you think this experience will impact your future?

2. How do you spend your days and weekends outside of school? What is a typical day and a typical weekend like for you?

3. Who in your life are you closest with, and who provides you the most support?

This question will help us better understand the people (family and/or other adults or peers) around you and what life is like for you at home.

4. Tell us about an aspect of science that excites and intrigues you.

What about this aspect of science interests you?

5. Describe your relationship to or experience with art as a tool for expression and communication.

Here, 'art' can include (but is not limited to) drawing and painting, sculpture, music, dance, theater, photography, writing, or any kind of activity you use to express yourself creatively.

6. What do you feel are your strengths or outstanding qualities of character? What do you feel are your weaknesses or areas in which you wish to improve your character?

7. Where do you see yourself in six years?
Tell us about your goals for your career, schooling, personal life, etc. 

8. Tell us: what makes you uniquely you?

There is only one 'you' out there, and we would love to hear more about who you are. Inspiring Girls strives to build a diverse team of all kinds of participants on each expedition - diverse in terms of hometowns, upbringings, personalities, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences. This question will help us build such a team.

The following is optional:

9. You can use this space to tell us anything about yourself you feel the application might not have fully captured. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better - perhaps related to a community you belong to, your sexual orientation or gender identity, your family or cultural background, or anything else - we encourage you to do so.

10. We are always trying to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of our application process. Please let us know any feedback you have on the questions we asked and the application process in general. Your answers to this question will only be viewed by program administrators and will not be considered in evaluating your application.

Field Expeditions Questionnaire

If you are accepted as a team member on a field expedition, you will be required to complete a basic physical examination and be cleared to participate by your physician or physician’s assistant. Please contact us at apply@inspiringgirls.org (US expeditions) or canada@inspiringgirls.org (Canada expeditions) with any questions regarding this requirement.

How much do you typically exercise each week?
Please provide the activity, duration, and number of times per week (for example: running, 30 minutes, 2 times per week).

Tell us about the most challenging physical experience you have recently done (run, hike, walk, paddle, climb, swim, sports event, etc).
Please describe this experience (how far you went, how long ago it was, the terrain, the duration, etc), when you accomplished this, and what you learned that will help you train for Inspiring Girls Expeditions if you are accepted.

Are you capable of comfortably swimming 25 yards freestyle in deep water, face down, breathing alternate sides, then treading water for 1 minute, and then swimming back?

We ask this because our water-based expeditions require that we select participants who are comfortable in deep water for safety reasons. We recommend Red Cross swimming level 3 at a minimum and will discuss this more with you if you are selected for the team. *If you are applying for Girls* on Ice Canada, your answer to this question will not be evaluated during the application review process.

  • Yes

  • No

Do you have any physical, medical, or mental health0-related conditions that might make participating in Inspiring Girls Expeditions challenging for you? Tell us about you manage this in your everyday life, and any concerns you have about managing this condition on an expedition.

Examples could include allergies, diabetes, asthma, recent injuries, anxiety, depression, disordered eating, a neurological diagnosis, etc.