Tomorrow’s Changemakers Built Today
There are more divides than ever in today’s world and yet few opportunities to interact with others from different backgrounds.
We create diverse groups of youth so that they learn how to lead and be led by people that are different from them. Our experiences give them a deeper understanding of their own lives so they know how to be effective, inclusive changemakers in a global society. Our participants go home as leaders with a new perspective on the world and what they uniquely bring to a group.
Young People Can Be Powerful Leaders
We believe young people are capable of being positive, impactful members of their communities.
Stevie Wonder had his first hit at 13. Joan of Arc led an army at 17. Picasso created his first major painting at 15. Young people may not have all the skills or experiences of adults, but they have their instincts and their ideas, which is enough to change the world. We believe that they can make good decisions that will lead them to the lives they want to live. It is our privilege and responsibility to offer opportunities for them to show us, themselves, and each other just how much they are capable of.
Leadership Skills Are Best Learned Outdoors
What we teach is at once a cutting-edge tool and an ancient rite of passage for helping young people be successful in life.
Colleges and employers want people who have learned initiative, adaptability, communication skills, accountability, and responsibility. These skills are easy to learn when there are real-world opportunities – the kind that occur on the trail all day, such as ‘are we carrying sharing the jobs evenly?’, ‘how do I tell the group what I need?’, ‘as Leader of the Day, do I think the group needs a snack break?’, or ‘let’s take an unplanned detour to see that magnificent waterfall.’
