Tremont Institute is a nonprofit residential environmental education center located inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For over 50 years, Tremont has invited youth and adults to their campus for immersive, multi-day experiences designed to connect people and nature. In the last year, they have welcomed over 3,000 individuals to their programs on campus.

One innovative program that Tremont is hosting is the Environmental and Community Leaders Fellowship at Fulton High School in Knoxville. This program, which began in 2018, empowers young adults to create equitable access to outdoor opportunities in their communities. 

During their two-year fellowship, Fulton juniors and seniors develop self-awareness, civic leadership and personal connection to nature, plan and lead community events in urban green spaces, and explore related careers and opportunities to be change-makers. Participation includes afternoon meetings, day trips, service learning and a multi-day residential experience at Tremont’s campus inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each summer, four students are offered paid internships inside the Smokies with Tremont and the National Park Service.

Tremont is also developing plans for a second campus in Townsend, Tennessee, that will demonstrate the organization’s commitment to sustainability and equity. The new campus will serve as an extension of Tremont’s current work in the national park, allowing for greater program capacity and new educational offerings that reach a wider audience.

To learn more about Tremont and support their work, visit gsmit.org.