Crestwood Global Experience Grant

A scholarship for Crestwood High School seniors to experience a once in a lifetime trip — gaining a global perspective and bringing that insight back to their community.

Why This Exists

Founder Andy Auble, a 2012 Crestwood alum, had his worldview transformed by international travel and mountain-west experiences after graduation.

This grant was created to offer that same opportunity — at no cost — to another graduating Crestwood senior each year.

What's Included

Open to: Crestwood High School Seniors (Class of 2027)

Fully funded: Trip of the graduates choice of either a 2-4 weeks of international travel, a mountain west backpacking trip, or a guided elk hunting trip in Montana.

Covered: The cost of the trip, travel to and from, and necessary equitment.

Who's Behind It

Funded by:
GlueTread – an American-made brand in the Class4Labs family, based in Hiram, Ohio.

Facilitated by:
Class4Labs – a product incubator founded by Andy Auble with offices in Hiram, OH & Bozeman, MT.

Trip Partners:

  • Pacific Discovery (International)
  • NOLS (Mountain West Backpacking)
  • Montana High Country (Elk Hunting)

Bringing a Global Perspective to our Local Community.

2026 Key Dates

Sept 15 – Application Opens
Jan 19 – Application Closes
Jan 30 – Finalists Announced
Feb 15 – Winner Announced
Mar 10 – Passport Check (if needed)
May 10 – Travel Paperwork Due
July 5 – International Trip Begins*
July 11 – Backpacking Trip Begins*
Sept 15 – Elk Hunting Trip begins*

*Actual departure and return dates vary based on the trip chosen by each student. Generally speaking, trips are 1-4 weeks long including travel time to the destination.

Selection Process

Fair. Transparent. Impact-Driven.

Each applicant will submit one complete application containing responses to all required questions.

Every eligible application will first be independently reviewed by a three-person screening panel. Panelists will have no local or family ties to the applicants or school district and will represent a range of educational and professional backgrounds. Using the published judging criteria, the screening panel of three will narrow the applicant pool to the finalists.

The finalist applications will then be reviewed by a separate selection board of six to ten panelists. These panelists will also have no local or family ties and will represent a range of educational and professional backgrounds. This board will independently evaluate, rank, and vote on the finalists. The combined rankings, votes, and panel discussion will be used to select the scholarship recipient.

Applicants will be evaluated based on their potential to benefit from the experience, their ability to represent the Crestwood community well, and the strength of their genuine desire to participate. Selection will not be based on GPA, résumé quality, or the production quality of the application.

Application

Applications open September 15th and can be submitted at this link.

Applications can be submitted in any of the following formats*:

  • Presentation, such as PowerPoint — 1,000-word maximum
  • Written essay — 1,500-word maximum
  • Audio recording — 5-minute maximum
  • Video submission — 5-minute maximum

*Please note that historically, video submissions have performed best in the review process.


Please find the application questions below:

  1. What is your name?
  2. What are your plans after graduation?
  3. What travel experiences have you had so far in your life? These may include international, domestic, regional, family, school, or independent travel. If you have not traveled much or at all, please feel free to say so.
  4. Why are you interested in this opportunity?
  5. If selected, which trip would you choose, and why? Options are the International trip, backpacking trip, and hunting trip. (You may change your mind later.)
  6. How do you think this trip would push the boundaries of your comfort zone?
  7. Travel can involve unfamiliar customs, difficult days, uncertainty, and changing plans. What part of the experience do you think would be most challenging for you, and how would you handle it?
  8. What does a global perspective mean to you?
  9. What do you value about the Crestwood community, and how would you represent it while traveling?
  10. What is one thing about your local community that you would like to see improve? Why does it matter to you, what could positive change look like over time, and how would you personally like to contribute to that change?
  11. Imagine that you have returned from the trip. What do you hope will be different about how you see yourself, your community, or the wider world? How would you share what you learned with the local community?

Notes and Rules:

  • The goal of the grant is to provide a global perspective to the local community.
  • Applicants should not list or mention their GPA.
  • Mentioning or listing extracurricular activities will not improve an application.

Pacific Discovery

(International Trip)

The Crestwood Global Experience Grant has partnered with Pacific Discovery to help facilitate this year's travel. We are excited to offer the programs on the page linked below!

**Please note that only international trips are eligible for the CGE Grant.
Learn more

NOLS
(Backpacking Trip)

NOLS Is a world renowned leader in outdoor expeditions. WE have partnered with NOLS to provide instruction and guidence on an expedition style trip in the mountain west.
Learn More

Montana High Country

(Hunting Trip)

Montana High Country is located in the Grasshopper Valley at the foothills of the Pioneer Mountains. This trip will be a physically rigrous pursuit of game in the mountains of Montana.

There is a physical fitness requirement to participate in this option.

*The video above is not of the outfitter you will be hunting with but rather a basic idea of what that hunt may look like

 Learn More

Past Recipients

2024 - Europe

Josh Delaney

Trip Recap

2025 - Figi

Andrea Knight

Trip Recap

2026 - Bali

Thea Casper

Trip Recap

2026 - Bali

Emma Lyons

Trip Recap

Contact Us
Do you or your parents have questions about this opportunity? Fill out the form below to contact Class4, the organization putting on this scholarship.

Interested in Supporting?

While the Class4 suite of companies are the main donors for this opportunity, donations are greatly appreciated as we strive to endow this fund.

All donations made to this fund will go 100% to sending students on international trips where they will grow personally and return to the community with a global perspective.

Please note that all donations are 100% tax deductible. A receipt letter is sent out from Raymond James Charitable for each donation.

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