After spending three years living and working outside with teenagers, I’ve picked up on recurring obstacles that I’ve watched my students face. They know all along what they struggle with at home, but the intimacy of the wilderness as a... READ MORE

Whenever someone asks me to sum up the Blue Ridge Mountains, I always think back to when my parents visited me during my stint in the Colorado Rockies. My mom had never been out west and I remember driving over... READ MORE

Disconnecting from your child while they are on an expedition can be difficult, yet rewarding. Learn how and what it can teach both you and your child. As Instructors, we want our students to leave a course feeling empowered by... READ MORE

Change is hard. Transition stress is real. How we choose to deal with change is how we choose to live our lives. Change happens, and ignoring it shelters you from opportunities for unique, eye-opening and transformative situations. Over the past... READ MORE

Working as a field Instructor, we’re challenged to navigate all facets of our being. We learn, live, play, work and lead with our co-workers, sometimes our supervisors, and often our students. It’s not a question of how we do it,... READ MORE

On an Intercept course, we ask our students to identify the difference between a consequence and a punishment. They identify that punishments are unfair and lead to more harm than good, and that consequences are inevitable, often put upon by their... READ MORE

I remember when I found out my freshman roommate had taken a gap year. I was struck with curiosity and wonder. One semester she sailed the Atlantic Ocean and another she backpacked in New Zealand. Most college freshmen are timid... READ MORE

At the beginning of every course, students are shown how to serve one another. Dinner isn’t cooked for them; they must cook it themselves. They can’t drive to their campsite, they have to walk or paddle—summiting mountains or portaging lakes.... READ MORE

Intercept courses teach students the connection between handling responsibilities and earning privileges. Parents and guardians learn parallel with them—at home—that the importance of structure comes from themselves and their ability to practice compromise and consistency. The bottom line is, if... READ MORE

Distance “The distance was good for us. I wish more families could experience distance like this. It is different than him being at school, or gone for a weekend. It is different because he is not a phone call away,... READ MORE