Trigger Warning: Please note that the content of recent news, including the KUOW podcast series released in Spring 2026, sheds light on Tom Hudson and accounts of Post 84 under his leadership in the 1990’s including references to grooming, physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and suicide.
Recent KUOW Podcast: Message from POST 84 to the Community:
Our organization acknowledges the impact that Tom Hudson had on students and their families when he led the school program as it existed in the 1990s. As we reckon with this part of POST 84 history, we understand that his actions caused immense trauma, and we stand in solidarity with survivors. We support continuing our collective work as a community to end all inappropriate interactions between adults and students.
POST is continually evolving, learning and growing as its own nonprofit organization. We invite you to ask questions, see us in action, and talk to us about how to get involved if you are interested in supporting our youth-led programs. For further information about our current safety policies and protocols, including wilderness risk management and reporting practices, please reference the information at the bottom of this page.
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For further support:
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you are not alone. RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and en Español.
Call 800.656.HOPE (4673)
Chat at RAINN.org/hotline
Text “HOPE” to 64673
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
The City of Seattle offers free online support and therapy for Seattle youth through Talkspace. This service is offered to Seattle residents aged 13-24.
https://www.talkspace.com/coverage/seattle
Information about POST 84 Programming:
Organizational Structure: POST has evolved over 40 years to become the student-led non-profit organization that it is today. Whereas it used to be led by a singular adult, POST is now student run and managed. All organizational and trip planning decisions are made during weekly student-led executive team meetings and monthly board meetings. POST staff and the Executive Committee are made up exclusively of students, with a governing Board made up of the student Executive Committee as well as adult community members. Four adult employees support and advise the student leaders, and attend trips ensuring safety and support for the students on the trips. Board meetings are directed, planned, and run by student members while adult board members provide support, feedback and guidance. Trips are designed, planned, and led by student staff, with vetted and trained adult chaperones providing trip support. Students on staff and the Executive Committee take pride and ownership in running POST 84.
Protections for Students: Student safety is a priority that is reflected throughout the organization. We have the following procedures in place to prevent abuse and maximize safety:
Mandatory child sexual abuse training for all adult employees and volunteer chaperones
Background Checks for all volunteer adult chaperones
Adults are never alone with just one student, unless meeting in a public location
Adults and students sleep in separate spaces on trips
Minimum of two adults on every trip
Students have the opportunity through anonymous surveys to report unusual, uncomfortable, and inappropriate behavior
Adult employees oversee the risk management plan for every trip, ensuring that appropriate Wilderness safety precautions are in place. Employees hold wilderness safety certifications from organizations such as the National Outdoor Leadership School, American Mountain Guides Association, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, Mental Health First Aid, Washington State Department of Health, and Leave No Trace, among others
Outings adhere to National Park, National Forest, and any other relevant permitting processes
Our Mission: POST develops comfort, confidence, and community in nature for high school students while fostering environmental stewardship and leadership skills through student-led outdoor education experiences. POST serves primarily high schoolers in Seattle public schools, with the majority of students attending Garfield, Franklin and Cleveland High Schools in central and south Seattle, though participation is not limited to these schools. As part of our mission, POST 84 actively tries to create opportunities for participation in outdoor activities for persons from communities traditionally underrepresented in outdoor recreation.
POST leadership: We are a youth-led organization - run by highschoolers. There are 75+ student-staff leaders each year that lead trips. A smaller group of 18 Executive Committee (EC) student leaders have key leadership responsibilities like Finance, Fundraising, Outreach, Trip Leads and more. EC students delegate responsibilities, plan programming, and lead the broader team.
Adult support is provided by paid staff members who mentor and support the student leaders who are running the programming. Adults also serve on our Board, which is made up of adult alumni of the program, community members, and parents, as well as student leaders from the Executive Committee.
Growth and Engagement: A core goal of our work at POST is to create opportunities to engage in the outdoors for kids who wouldn't otherwise have them. We have expanded our outreach and accessibility efforts to reach underserved populations in Seattle Public Schools, including pay-what-you-can scholarships given to all students who request them, no questions asked. As a result, we've seen tremendous growth in our signups, trip capacity, and diversity of students impacted. We brought over 400 students on up to 16 trips across Washington state in the last year, with waitlists of up to 70 students for some trips. Approximately 50% of the students we serve are youth of color, and most of our students come with little to no outdoor camping experience. We hope to continue growing our capacity to serve in the coming years.