Teen Summers

Confidence Grows in Wild Spaces

Navigating switchbacks or cooking for a crew fosters self-reliance faster than any classroom project. Your teen returns home knowing they can set up a bear-safe campsite in the rain—and, by extension, handle next year’s college transition.

A Deeper Conservation Ethic

Hands-on projects and ranger chats transform “Leave No Trace” from a slogan into a personal creed. Many alumni start composting at home, launch eco-clubs at school, or choose environmental majors because of one trail day that clicked.

Friendships That Don’t Require Wi-Fi

When cell service dies at the trailhead, real conversation thrives. Shared sunrises, group belays, and collective “we-made-it” moments forge bonds that often outlast high school itself.

Resume-Ready Skills

Whether it’s Spanish chats while volunteering in a Caribbean marine park or data collection in Denali, teens rack up leadership hours, service credits, and tangible hard skills (map reading, Wilderness First Aid, outdoor cooking) that college admissions officers love.

Perspective, Unfiltered

Standing at the rim of a 277-mile canyon or beneath giant sequoias reframes what “big” really means. Challenges at home feel smaller, gratitude gets louder, and that sense of wonder becomes a compass long after the hiking boots are shelved.