Exposure to a different way of life makes you contemplate your own assumptions: the rights you take for granted, the habits you’ve formed, the food that’s available to you, the notions you carry. Travel gives us the time and space to gain fresh perspective on things and the opportunity to absorb the traditions and beliefs of another place. Successfully navigating a new environment boosts confidence, whether it’s a vast collection of tide pools under the open sky, or an intricate subway system beneath a busy city. Sharing time with someone from a different region expands awareness and empathy. Stepping outside of our usual practices opens our minds to possibility: new ideas, intentions and purposes can grow and thrive. Travel is life-changing, and can help a student take measure of themselves.

Our goal is to give high school students who are well-insulated within their own communities a chance to participate in new outdoor experiences, study abroad programs, foreign exchange opportunities and language schools so they can learn about different ways of life, broaden their thinking, and open new doors. We believe in programs that give teens the opportunity to see possibilities outside their everyday world, help them understand their own impact, and inspire them to dream.