The AORE Campus Challenge is a March-Madness-meets-Mother Nature competition in which 98 universities compete to see who can get the most people outside. The 2019 Campus Challenge kicks off September 16 and ends October 13. The school with the most logged outdoor activities on the Campus Challenge app wins the title of National Outdoor Champion. Other prizes include Outsider of the Year, Regional Winners, Recognition Awards, free gear, and more.

• WHO IS THE ASSOCIATION OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION?

The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) is the premier organization dedicated to serving the needs of recreation and education professionals in non-profit settings. Through AORE, members have a mechanism to interact with and affect decisions made by public land managers and the human powered outdoor recreation industry. AORE is committed to promoting ecologically sound stewardship of the natural environment and serves as a collective voice for its members regarding topics of regional and national concern.

• WHO SUPPORTS THE AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

The AORE Campus Challenge is a program of The Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education/AORE. To see the full list of partners and supports, click HERE.

• HOW CAN I BE PART OF THE AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

Anyone who is a U.S. resident is welcome to participate in the Campus Challenge. Simply visit aorecampuschallenge.org, create an account, select the school you are supporting and log your outdoor activities.

• HOW DO I GET MY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY INVOLVED IN THE AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

Email campuschallenge@aore.org for more information on how to get involved in next year’s Campus Challenge. Application materials will be released in spring 2019.

• WHAT COUNTS AS AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY?

Outdoor activities are considered nature-based activities where an individual intentionally engages in the outdoors, with the outdoor element being the focus of the activity. Eligible activities include:Adventure Racing (like Tough Mudder), Biking/Mountain Biking, Camping, Climbing Indoor/Outdoor, Caving, Equestrian, Fishing/Hunting, Hiking/Backpacking, Paddle Sports (Kayak, SUP, Canoe), Outdoor Service Projects, Running/Jogging/Trail Running, Snowsports, Water Activities (Outdoor), Hammocking, Outdoor Clinics & Training, Skateboarding/Longboarding, Slacklining, Walking, Yoga (Outdoor), Bird/Wildlife Watching, Gardening, Stargazing. Traditional team sports are not eligible. Each activity must take place for a minimum of 30 minutes and have occurred between September 16 and October 13, 2019.

• WHEN CAN I SIGN UP FOR THE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

Pre-registration starts on September 3, 2019. The app will be available for download and sign-up at that time.

• DO I HAVE TO BE A STUDENT AT ONE OF THE COMPETING SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE?

No! Students, faculty, staff, alumni and any U.S. resident located around the world can download the app and choose to make their activities count for any of the participating schools.

• WHEN DO I LOG MY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES?

Outdoor activities should be logged between September 16 and October 13, 2019.

• HOW DO I LOG AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY?

Once you are logged into the AORE Campus Challenge app, click on the “Log Activity” button and follow the steps on the submission form. You must include a brief description along with a photo for your activity to earn points.

• HOW DO I SHARE MY LOGGED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES?

Once you submit your outdoor activity, you will have the option to share through the app on Facebook and Twitter share buttons. Make sure your Facebook post is set to “Public,” and use #AORECampusChallenge #ACC to help spread the word.

• HOW DO I ACCUMULATE POINTS IN THE AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

Every time an activity is logged, the user accumulates points. Activities are weighted depending on the type of activity. To see the point value of each activity, CLICK HERE.

• WHAT SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE 2019 AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE?

For a full list of the participating schools, click HERE.

• CAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OUTSIDE OF THE U.S. PARTICIPATE?

Not at this time.

• DOES A SCHOOL HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AORE CAMPUS CHALLENGE AS AN ENTIRE CAMPUS OR CAN SEGMENTS OF THE CAMPUS JUST PARTICIPATE (I.E. RESIDENCE HALLS)?

The goal of the challenge is for massive participation across campuses, therefore the entire college/university campus must be involved and support the challenge. We’ve put together some useful tools for helping recruit on campus. Check them out here! We’re excited about the possibility of growing your campus’ outdoor participation and want to hear your ideas. If you think there are other resources that would be helpful for helping you run the Campus Challenge at your school, please let us know! (campuschallenge@aore.org)

• I’M GOING CAMPING FOR A LONG WEEKEND. HOW DOES THAT COUNT?

You can log up to 5 activities per day, so each activity you participated in for at least 30 minutes could be entered. For example, for one day you could log hammocking, going for a hike, canoeing, gazing at the stars and sleeping under the sky. And don’t forget to check the box in the app to log your overnight activity in order to receive bonus points!

• I’M NOT ATHLETIC. WHAT ACTIVITIES CAN I DO?

Not all outdoor activities have to be athletic in nature! You can go for a walk, bird-watch/wildlife-watch, fish, take photographs of the outdoors, go for a boat ride, tend your garden, do yoga outdoors or gaze at the stars – the possibilities are endless!

• WHAT IF I BIKE FOR 2 HOURS VS. SPENDING ALL DAY OUTSIDE?

An activity is considered something you’ve spent doing for a MINIMUM of 30 minutes. If you go on a 2 hour bike ride, that counts as one activity. If you bike for an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon, that counts as two activities.

• IS THERE A MAX NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES I CAN LOG PER DAY?

Yes, you may log up to 5 activities per day and share using #AORECampusChallenge #ACC