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Streetfront Teenagers Receive An Incredible Blessing On Kilimanjaro 

By  Mark Whitman

Last Updated: February 12, 2025 | Comments: 0


Some of Trevor Stokes’ students had never ventured beyond Vancouver, never mind British Columbia. The teacher changed that when he took 15 of his charges to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

My Quick Takeaways:

In a remarkable journey, Trevor Stokes, a teacher at Streetfront, led 15 students from Vancouver's Downtown East Side to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Key highlights include:

  • Streetfront Program: Located in one of Vancouver's most challenging neighbourhoods, Streetfront is a non-traditional high school programme that dedicates 40% of each day to intense physical activity, including training students for marathons.
  • Preparation and Challenges: Over three years, students unaccustomed to long-term planning prepared for the trip. For many, this was their first venture beyond Vancouver, making the experience both daunting and exhilarating.
  • Teamwork and Personal Growth: The expedition fostered leadership and collaboration among the students, many of whom had previously been individualistic. They learned to prioritise the group's success over personal interests, culminating in a shared achievement at Africa's highest peak.

Inspired to learn more about this Kilimanjaro adventure? Let's make it happen!

Streetfront and the remarkable work they do in Vancouver

He is employed by Streetfront, a non-traditional high school programme of 14 years’ standing that has featured in a number of newspaper and magazine articles.

Streetfront is located in one of Vancouver’s poorest neighbourhoods: downtown East Side.

It develops the physical and moral strength of those who pass through: 40 percent of each day is devoted to intense physical activity. Every year, dozens of its kids train for two marathons.

teenagers-on-kilimanjaro

The success of Streetfront with these inner city teenagers is unparalleled. It is believed that this latest venture will inspire all those who hear the tale from the teens.

Stokes repined that his students had “sort of fallen through the cracks” and were no longer helped by the mainstream educational system. They miss out on the opportunities other students take for granted.

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The Streetfront youth and their Kilimanjaro preparations

Three years of preparation were required for the trip – by students unaccustomed to looking more than three days ahead.

Hence, as Stokes remarked, it was “pretty amazing” to even get them on an aeroplane.

On Kilimanjaro, the jungle brought an abundance of unfamiliar sights: “monkeys … and orangutans and you name it.” This was, he jested, “quite a difference from East Vancouver.”

teenagers-on-kilimanjaro

The teens had to adjust to the physical barriers they faced, which Stokes called “an amazing aspect.”

They were introduced to fellow teens from the locality, broadening their horizons. The teenagers were obliged to work together to attain their goal of Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit.

The Streetfront youth learn about leadership and teamwork during their Kilimanjaro expedition

Stokes spoke of how they put the group before themselves. And these were mostly “quite individualistic kids.” Stokes described “the power of the group” as “a wonderful thing to witness.”

The teens will one day be a leadership cohort that will persuade those of their age group that it doesn’t matter where they come from; what matters is where they go.

The teens kept moving and didn’t give up, overcoming great challenges, until eventually, “There they were, at the very top of Africa.” Stokes’ tears froze due to the cold conditions on the mountain.

More such trips are planned over the coming decade. Follow their progress here.

climb kilimanjaro summit

Plan your Kilimanjaro trek

Get a quote from my recommended local Kilimanjaro operator

My Final Thoughts

How inspiring! I wish Stoke's and his team success. What do you think? Are you inspired to climb Kilimanjaro for a cause? Let me know in the comments below and let's share the love.

Read more inspiring Kilimanjaro news here:

Mark Whitman

Hi, I'm Mark! Welcome to Climb Kilimanjaro Guide - the Web's No.1 Trekking Guide to Mount Kilimanjaro. This site is your one stop shop for everything Kilimanjaro. To date over 5 million people have visited Climb Kilimanjaro Guide, many of which have gone on to summit Kili! I hope you find all the answers you are looking for, but if you have any questions don't hesitate to drop a comment below!

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