An Update from Outward Bound USA’s Professional Learning Lab: Progress, Successes, and What’s Ahead Just like our students, Outward Bound in the US is committed to challenging ourselves as an organization. We seek to continuously improve the quality of our courses and the student experience. The Professional Learning Lab, part of the Learning and Evaluation Department, serves as this vital hub for collaboration, networking, and professional development across our Regional School system. “The Lab” encourages our crew, from Program & Instructional staff to Fundraising and Communications team ..read more

We know it’s time to put our summer camping gear into hibernation and dust off our snowshoes when frost starts sticking on the ground, ugly sweaters make their annual debut, and wafts of pumpkin-spiced lattes fill the air. It’s also time to start thinking about the holidays. And with them, the opportunity to gather with friends and family and think up thoughtful gifts to give them. When it comes to finding the right presents for the outdoor adventurers in your life, there are some things to consider: what do they love about the outdoors? And, what’s their style of outdoor recreation? Whether t ..read more

The outdoor industry, in all of its dimensions, revolves around one thing: the respect for wild spaces and the dedication to protect and share them with others. Whether it’s endangered species conservation fieldwork, white water raft guiding, or promoting a body-inclusive outdoor apparel line – there are countless ways to make a difference in the outdoors. Everyone in this industry has chosen their path for a unique reason. Some grow up intimately knowing and loving the land they now work to preserve; some find connection through their passion for adventure sports; and some stumble into this f ..read more

In the outdoor industry, Elyse Rylander (she/her) has become a name synonymous with actively shifting behaviors and points of view to better reflect – and meet the needs of – people who have traditionally been excluded. Elyse’s work is oriented towards an understanding of where we’ve been in order to best inform where we need to go. She approaches this work with compassion and a learning mindset, which we at Outward Bound are also committed to – in the field, in our organization, and across our communities. We’re thrilled to have Elyse Rylander joining our team as Outward Bound USA’s first Equ ..read more

As one of our most unique program lines, people often ask what they can expect from an Outdoor Educator course and if it’s the right fit for them. While the program is intentionally designed for individuals seeking or interested in careers in outdoor education or the outdoor industry, the focus doesn’t solely land on creating guide-ready individuals, but instead well-rounded groups of people who are equipped to reach their goals and help others in achieving theirs—in the outdoors or elsewhere. To give you an inside look into this side of an Outdoor Educator course, we caught up with Alex Babin ..read more

Each year, high school seniors and young adults are tasked with discovering the perfect answer to “what’s next?” Throw in the aftereffects a global pandemic has had on the social and emotional health of teens—and that question becomes a million times harder to answer.  To students, recent graduates, parents, and young adults—stop and breathe. It’s okay to question your options, your original plan, and even evaluate alternatives. You’re not alone. An increasing number of young adults are looking for a different option. And guess what—we might have the answer.  Photo by Jon Reynolds ..read more

From packability and nutritional power to ease of consumption and deliciousness, outlined below are eight go-to hiking snacks for any length of trip. Sometimes the most satisfying moment on a hike isn’t stumbling upon a beautiful waterfall, or spotting a rare bird, or even making it to the vista just as the sun rises – sometimes the most exciting part of a hike is the moment you reach into your pack and pull out the perfect snack. You know the one… that snack you’ve been craving all day, the treat that’s going to save you from your afternoon energy crash, the one that appears just in time to s ..read more

I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Ginger Naylor, an incredibly warm, sincere, and straightforward individual, to talk about her new position as Outward Bound USA’s CEO. Throughout our conversation, it was plain to me that Ginger cares immensely about the purpose of our organization: to create opportunities for students to become more capable and confident versions of themselves. With an inspiring track record of long-lasting impacts made at the Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School as their executive director, Ginger is more than ready to hit the ground running as the very first fema ..read more

When Outward Bound USA board member and former Philadelphia mayor, Michael Nutter, found himself on a pulling boat in the Chesapeake Bay in 1992, he had questions. While he admits that he wasn’t expecting a yacht, once he boarded the pulling boat he said to his crewmates and instructors “So, this is the boat that is taking us to the boat, right?” To his surprise his crew shared “No, this is the boat.” The former Philadelphia Mayor spent the next four days on his first Outward Bound course with educators from across the Philadelphia area. The idea of Outward Bound in Philadelphia was hatched wh ..read more

An Interview with Outward Bound Alum, Jim Koch: Chairman and founder of Boston Beer Company, and brewer of Sam Adams beer By Daniel Lilienthal  Going Outward Bound  Jim Koch is one of the world’s most successful beer brewers, creating Sam Adams beer out of his kitchen in the early 1980s. He’s given hundreds of interviews, mostly about his product and his business, but until recently, had never been interviewed or told the story of his connection to the organization that gave him the confidence and leadership skills to pursue such a bold venture.  That organization? Outward ..read more