View our 2019 Annual Report Here

When you support Voyageur Outward Bound School, you change lives.

How do we know? Our students tell us:

“Outward Bound has been a life-changing tool that has allowed me to stop and take a second look at the path I want to go down; versus the path I have been following.”
- Mark, age 21, VOBS Alum

“I learned more about myself and feel more confident and solid with who I am than I have in my entire life. Living, traveling, and learning in the wilderness, I gained technical skills as well as interpersonal skills. I have five people in my life who quickly transitioned from teammates, to friends, and now feel like family. This course changed my life.”
- Julianna, age 20, VOBS Alum

“What did I learn from my Outward Bound experience? Just because there's an easy way, it doesn't mean it's the one you can or should take. When it doesn't seem like there's a clear path, by pausing and looking again, new paths can appear. You are stronger and more capable than you think you are. If you can't get out of it, get into it. Living purposefully and intentionally allows me to become more fully whole and human.”
- Daniel, age 50, VOBS Alum

Today, the world needs compassionate, resilient people who have the courage and grit to lead and serve. The challenges we face are many – poverty, political discord, racism… the list goes on. Any one of us might say, “How can I fix these problems?” The answer is… you can’t… but together we can.

Your support changes lives and creates leaders. This is where the journey begins. The future needs strong and skilled citizens. Our programs build character for a better tomorrow through learning and leadership.

Students like Mark, Julianna, and Daniel graduate from VOBS courses with a deep conviction that they can do more for themselves, and for others.

For over 50 years, our supporters have been providing Outward Bound programming to young people so they can discover they have more in them than they know.

Due to your support, we would like to share some highlights from 2019:

• 2019 was a record year for revenue; VOBS operating revenue was over $6M.
• 2019 was a record year for mission; VOBS safely served over 17,000 students across Homeplace, Texas and the Twin Cities, and partnered with more than 20 schools. 
• 2019 was a record year for innovation; VOBS and Outward Bound pioneered a brand new tool for social-emotional learning excellence: The Domains of Thriving.
• 2019 was a record year for support; VOBS is very grateful for the generous support of the David and Janis Larson Family Foundation:
• Received a $2,000,000 gift to the VOBS Scholarship Endowment
• Received a $500,000 gift to The Larson Leadership Scholars Fund

In 2019, VOBS was in robust financial health and we headed into 2020 with strength and optimism. By April of 2020, however, we were suspending programs. By May, we were furloughing our staff without pay, instituting significant salary reductions and securing a federal PPP loan. While we are very proud to share our 2019 Annual Report with you, we want you to know that we need you now more than ever. 

With your help, VOBS will continue to change lives.

Our 2019 Annual Report gives me confidence in the future. This fall, we safely resumed in-person expeditions in the Boundary Waters and Texas, and launched new virtual programming in the Twin Cities. If we can weather the current storm, I know we can surpass our previous goals to serve more students, and more diverse students, for belonging, strength and purpose.

Our mission is to change lives through challenge and discovery.

Our vision is a more resilient and compassionate world, with more resilient and compassionate citizens.

Our values are compassion, integrity, excellence, inclusion and safety.

With your support, we can bring this mission and message to serve more students today and in the future. Thank you.

With gratitude,

Jack Lee
Executive Director
Voyageur Outward Bound School  


If you would like to share feedback on our 2019 Annual Report or have questions about our programs we would love to hear from you, please email: Poppy.Potter@vobs.org or give Poppy a call: (651) 401-0637.