I love boats. Canoes, really. They are simple. They float without fanfare. They have a history that harkens back 10,000 years to prehistoric dugout canoes, and more recently to the discovery of a well-preserved birch bark canoe dating 250 years... READ MORE
In my family, Outward Bound is a rite of passage. Growing up, Outward Bound was always brought up in conversations because that is how my parents met and it brought them into a community that is made up of people who... READ MORE
It’s 5:30 AM, the alarm goes off and I resist the urge to snooze because today is an important day. Today is the start of our Peer Leadership Expedition. This morning I will venture out and pick up each student... READ MORE
Nine miles of sweat, grime, grit and finally, glory. Outward Bound is hard – by design. But that doesn’t mean throwing students to the wolves and hoping for the best. A big part of course is learning to set goals... READ MORE
Sometimes we work with teens. Sometimes we work with at-risk teens. But I repeat myself. When we talk of “at-risk” youth we often think of the outside factors that teens are “at-risk” for: friends, drugs, failing school, etc. But I... READ MORE
The impact of an Outward Bound course is both different for everyone, yet the same. Chia Vang, a 2013 graduate of Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) and a partner school, the River’s Edge Academy shared, “these programs taught me about... READ MORE
“She is significantly more confident and better able to hear what others are saying and correctly interpret those words into something meaningful.” “He sees himself as a leader and looks for opportunities to lead….I think he thinks for himself more.”... READ MORE
This is a common reflection we hear at the Voyageur Outward Bound School. The alumnus goes on to explain a moment that had great impact and stuck with them 5, 10, or even more than 40 years later. Honestly though,... READ MORE
I was not allowed to cook often at home because I made too much of a mess. So I learned to cook on trips in the wilderness. First pancakes and macaroni, now cinnamon rolls and smoked fish. Turns out the... READ MORE
A student stands knee-deep in a swamp, staring at a canoe. The swamp is the sort that is too thick to paddle through, yet too thin to walk on. Black mud sucks shoes in and releases decaying smells. The canoe... READ MORE