Wandering Trails Scholarship for Women in the Backcountry 2022
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Applications are now closed for this scholarship.
We are STOKED to announce that the Scholarship for Women in the Backcountry is back!
The scholarship began when V-Team ambassador Brooke Jackson approached us about donating a portion of her gear credit toward a fellow female athlete with hopes of making deeper strides into the world of winter sports. With an impressive selection of Voile ski gear in her closet, Brooke already has her dream quiver. Now she wants to help YOU achieve the same!
This year’s prizes include a generous donation of Brooke’s ambassador funds, a matching grant from Voile, and (new this year) a generous contribution from Strafe Outerwear and Pret helmets! We are also upping the ante with a cash prize, providing the Grand Prize scholarship recipient with cash funds to pay for the next step in their avalanche education.
A message from Brooke:
Wow – last season feels like a decade ago.
When I first approached Voile with the idea of donating my gear credit for a scholarship, I was so nervous. I remember worrying about so many things, “Will the company think I’m ungrateful for not taking the credit myself?” or “I’m not an insta-famous athlete, will anyone even apply?”
My heartbeat thumped double-time while I waited for Voile to reply.
And once they did, it was a solidifying reminder of why I am honored to be a part of their Ambassador program – they not only loved the scholarship idea, but donated even more gear for the prizes.
Fast forward a few months, and we had just shy of 100-entries to the first year ever of the Brooke Jackson Scholarship for Women in the Backcountry. I was blown-away! Reading each of the entries made my heart glow, and at times, ache. There are so many women out there being badasses every day in their own rights, fighting battles not a lot of folks will probably ever see or know. I continue to be inspired by so many of you.
Now, here we are. 2021 may be finally freakin’ over – but the reality it created is not. I know that speaking from a personal level, the last year took a toll mentally, emotionally, and financially. Those ripples aren’t going away just because it’s 2022, either.
Which is why, while I continue to be grateful for the support Voile gives me through my backcountry journey, I am paying it forward once again. My aspiration for the scholarship this year is to help fellow folks out there who are still feeling the weight of 2021 find inspiration, empowerment, and, hopefully, some solace in the backcountry.
Keep being badass,
Brooke
Brooke Jackson
Location: Seattle, WA
Top Gear Picks: UltraVector 171cm / V8 176cm
Instagram: @wanderingtrailsmedia
Website: www.wanderingtrailsmedia.com
Brooke Jackson (she/her) is the founder of Wandering Trails Media, a media creation agency where she utilizes her storytelling skills to uplift the voices of others. Oftentimes, Brooke is behind the camera as a Photographer and Producer, yet is also known to scribble the occasion written feature. Outside of her professional endeavors, she is a volunteer with Olympic Mountain Rescue, as well as the Kitsap County Search Dogs with her Field Retriever, Eva.
Who Can Enter
As a member of the backcountry community, Brooke knows that many women are hungry to get further into the backcountry. Many face barriers: such as lacking the necessary equipment to take it to the next level. Whether you have never skied, are looking to transition from resort to backcountry, or are seeking to progress from mellow touring to tackling mountaineering objectives, we want to provide you with the gear you need to start ticking off those goals.
*Due to legal restrictions, applicants must be 21 years of age or older and reside in the United States of America
Why “Girls Only”
Our goal isn’t to limit, but rather to help bring balance to gender representation in the backcountry. The purpose of the Wandering Trails Scholarship for Women in the Backcountry is to enable and inspire the community of women or female-identifying backcountry enthusiasts to have a bigger presence in the mountains.
GRAND PRIZE:
• A Voile.com account credit of $1,600 USD will be rewarded to the overall winner. This is provided thanks to a portion of Brooke Jackson‘s ambassador funds and a dollar match from Voile.
• Our good friends at Strafe Outerwear are partnering with us this year to offer a full outerwear kit to the overall winner. This means your choice of Jacket, Pant, and Mid-Layer from their award-winning Women’s winter line!
• A voucher for a brand new brain-bucket from Pret helmets.
• Also new this year: we will donate $500 (USD) to be used toward the next step in your avalanche safety education.
*Eligible skis include all standard-edition skis (Hyper Series skis are excluded.) Prizes are inventory-dependent. Voile cannot provide or guarantee equipment that is low inventory or out of stock. Prize orders will be treated as regular customer orders.
Runner Up:
• A Voile.com account credit of $1,200 USD will be rewarded to the runner up. This is provided thanks to a portion of Brooke‘s ambassador funds and a dollar match from Voile.
• Our friends at Strafe Outerwear will also be contributing an account credit of $600 to the runner-up to be used towards a winter outerwear kit!
• A voucher for a brand new brain-bucket from Pret helmets.
*Eligible skis include all standard-edition skis (Hyper Series skis are excluded.) Voile cannot provide or guarantee equipment that is low inventory or out of stock. Prize orders will be treated as regular customer orders.