Trailhead Welcome to Trailhead 2025!

June 5 at 7 pm Pacific Time via Google Meet: Parent/Guardian Orientation (Google Meet link will be sent via email to parents/guardians)

June 6: Deadline to submit home mentor information (please send the name and email address of mentor to trailhead@bianlifan.com)

June 26 at 7 pm Pacific Time via Google Meet: Orientation for Home Mentors (Google Meet link will be sent via email to home mentors)

A parent/guardian should complete, sign, and submit the Authorization for Medical Care and Image Use Form and the Liability Waiver for Session 1, Session 2, or Session 3 prior to the start of the program. We expect to post these forms by May 1, 2024.

Electronic signatures, facsimiles, and any other electronic transmission of signed documents shall have the same legal validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature. Completed forms can be scanned and returned to trailhead@bianlifan.com, or mailed to: 

Westmont College
ATTN: Trailhead: Seeking God’s Call
955 La Paz Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93108

Trailhead includes activities both within and beyond the classroom (may include hiking, boat rides, swimming, sports games, and the like). Participants assume the risks associated with all program activities.

Please pack lightly, but be sure to bring the following items for your stay at Westmont College. Please note that students are not permitted to bring a vehicle to campus. 

Covid-19 safety recommendations suggest that the risks are much lower outdoors, so nearly all of our activities will be outside—which at Westmont is very beautiful anyway. But that will come with some chilly, foggy mornings with wet ground, and some warm afternoons in full sun. We'll help prepare for both with some umbrellas and tarps. But be prepared.

Packing List:

• Linens: sheets, blankets, pillows, and pillowcases as needed (on-site linen rentals are available, $30 for a towel, set of sheets, pillow, pillowcases and blanket; please order linens by noon Monday one week before the start of your session)
• Toiletries (shampoo, soap, etc.)
• Bible
• Study/reading light
• Flashlight
• Hangers
• Mug and water bottle
• Laundry bag or basket and money for laundry card (if you anticipate needing to wash your clothing)
• Headphones 
• Sturdy, comfortable shoes for outdoor recreation such as hiking and extended walking (expect to do some walking on rough, uneven ground)
• Bathing suit
• Towel for sitting on the ground outside
• Backpack
• Cell phone
• Camp chair or beach chair (chairs will be provided for students traveling by plane)
• Sunscreen
• Sun hat
• Hair dryer
• Sunglasses

What NOT to Bring

• Car
• Hot plate
• Microwave oven
• Toaster/toaster oven
• Air conditioner
• Halogen torchiere floor lamp
• Regular extension cords
• Candles/oil lamps (the fire code prohibits them)
• Duct tape
• Incense
• Pets
• Drum set
• Chairs, desks, or beds (rooms are furnished, and there is no extra storage space).

All meals are provided. Any special dietary needs can be noted on the Authorization for Medical Care and Image Use Form.

Santa Barbara often experiences cloud cover in the mornings and cooler temperatures in the evenings. Some warm clothes may be necessary. 

Santa Barbara Weather Report

Flying:
We encourage students to fly into the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), as it is the closest airport to the Westmont campus. Trailhead staff are able to offer transportation to and from SBA and Westmont. The Santa Barbara Airbus offers service to the Santa Barbara area from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Trailhead staff are also able to offer transportation to and from the Santa Barbara Airbus stop at La Cumbre Plaza. If you anticipate needing transportation to and from SBA or the airbus stop, please be in touch with us at trailhead@bianlifan.com.

Driving:
To Westmont from Los Angeles
Take 101 North to the Olive Mill exit. Turn right onto Olive Mill Road. Turn left onto Hot Springs Road. Turn right onto Sycamore Canyon Road at the first stop sign and continue for 1.1 miles. Turn right onto Cold Springs Road at the second stop sign. Turn left into the first Westmont campus entrance and follow the signs to the parking area. 

To Westmont from San Francisco:
Take 101 South to the Coast Village exit (on the left). Turn right onto Coast Village and take the second left on the roundabout onto Hot Springs Road. Turn left onto Sycamore Canyon at the first stop sign and continue for 1.1 miles. Turn right onto Cold Springs Road at the second stop sign. Turn left into the first Westmont campus entrance and follow the signs to the parking area. 

Who will supervise my son/daughter during the program?
Members of the Trailhead staff will be present throughout the program. The director and/or associate directors will be present with students each day from the morning to late afternoon. Trained undergraduate mentors will live in the residence hall with Trailhead students and coordinate daily activities. Westmont's assistant director of residence life supervises the mentors.

How do I get in touch with my son/daughter during the program?
We expect that you will check in with your son or daughter directly by email, cell phone, text and/or other remote means. In cases of emergency when you cannot reach your son or daughter directly, please contact resident director Thomas Staffileno at (805) 565-6273.

Whom do I contact in the event of an emergency?
In case of emergency, please contact resident director Thomas Staffileno at (805) 565-6273. During the program, Thomas’s focus will be concentrated on providing guidance, direction, support, and supervision for all of our program participants. Therefore, we ask that you only contact him in cases of emergency when you cannot reach your son or daughter directly. If we need to contact you, be assured that your emergency information is on file and will be used without hesitation.  

Can I come visit during the program?
We encourage you to use this brief period as a practice run for the “real thing,” when your son or daughter will begin navigating young adult life from a distance. We ask that you refrain from planning visits to campus while the program is in session. We applaud the decision each of your students has made to give a portion of their summer days to this endeavor. We also applaud each of you as parents/guardians for providing them with the tools, direction, and parenting necessary to guide them while they are away from home.

What will happen if my son or daughter becomes ill or is injured during the program?
Should your son or daughter become ill or injured, our staff will quickly the situation to determine whether it is necessary to seek medical treatment at the local emergency room or walk-in clinic. If transport is necessary, two members of our staff will accompany your son or daughter. Our staff will certainly be in touch with you in this event. Please ensure that your son or daughter brings a copy of his or her health insurance card. Fees for services will be the responsibility of the student and his or her parents. 

What happens if my son or daughter contracts Covid during the program?
We will be closely monitoring student health throughout the program. In the case of a Covid exposure, we will provide tests on site and follow relevant quarantine protocol. In the case of a positive test result, the student can safely isolate in their room until the parent/guardian is able to pick them up. Our staff will certainly be in touch with you in this event. The parent/guardian of a student who tests positive for Covid is responsible for picking them up from campus as soon as possible.

What types of activities will my son/daughter participate in during Trailhead?
Trailhead includes activities both within and beyond the classroom (may include hiking, kayaking, biking, paddle boarding, ice skating, roller skating, laser tag, or the like). Participants assume the risks associated with all program activities.

What are the behavioral expectations for participants in the Trailhead program?
You can find complete information about behavioral expectations and other policies in our Trailhead Student Handbook.

How do I send mail to my son/daughter?
Please address mail as follows:
[Trailhead Participant Name]
Trailhead: Seeking God's Call
955 La Paz Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93108-1099

Mail is distributed once per day, Monday through Friday. Please note the Westmont post office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. If you are sending a time-sensitive envelope or package, please notify our office by calling (805) 565-6230 or emailing trailhead@bianlifan.com.

Who should I contact to discuss any accommodations my student might need?
Students needing accommodations during Trailhead should view the Office of Disability Services (ODS) website for information. If requesting accommodations, students are advised to provide necessary documentation and forms to the Office of Disability Services at least two weeks in advance of the beginning of their Trailhead session. Please email ods@bianlifan.com for more information.

Who should I contact if I have questions about payment?
Please email (trailhead@bianlifan.com) or call (805) 565-6230 our office with any questions about payment. 

Crafting a Community of Learners
Trailhead participants live in community with their peers as well as our undergraduate mentors. Together they build relationships and create experiences that will challenge and support participants toward deeper learning, authentic worship, and formative friendships.

Westmont Residence Hall
As a Trailhead participant you will live, eat, play, and pray in one of Westmont's residence halls. 

What Covid-19 health and safety measures will be in place? 

Westmont will comply with all applicable county, state, and federal guidelines related to Covid-19. Detailed policies are described below. Please note that policies and procedures are subject to change at any time. Westmont strongly encourages all eligible Trailhead students to receive a Covid-19 vaccination and booster.

How will Westmont's Trailhead program monitor the health of students?

If students begin to feel unwell during the course of their program week, they can contact one of the on-site staff or email risk@bianlifan.com for next steps. If any student contracts Covid during a Trailhead session, the parents/guardians are responsible for picking them up from campus as soon as possible.