Philosophy
It is our belief that individuals grow significantly when they encounter and successfully surmount a range of challenges, mastering new skills, getting out of their comfort zone, or engaging in physically and interpersonally demanding activities.

To make this possible, teenagers need a safe and caring environment within which to test themselves. Safety is our number one priority. It is a constant theme in our pre-season preparation, our staff training, and our interactions with the kids. In this environment, teenagers can establish patterns of success. Success breeds confidence and allows teenagers to enhance their own personal style of leadership. Through open and honest communication with peers and adults, teenagers can develop insight into who they are and how they interact with others.

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Goals
Each student who is with us will grow by successfully confronting a series of challenges. Students will enhance this growth by learning to communicate effectively with their peers and leaders on a feelings level through our teen leadership programs. The goal is for each kid...

• To return home a more confident, more communicative, more grounded individual, with an enhanced sense of his or her personal style of leadership.
• To reach beyond his or her perceived limitations.
• To develop basic skills necessary to communicate on an emotional level and share in the problem solving and decision-making of the group.
• To develop basic skills associated with the successful performance of any of the outdoor activities learned during our wilderness summer camps.
• To develop an appreciation for such acts as community service and cross-cultural interaction, and academic pursuits such as digital photography, Spanish, and marine biology.
  
• To learn how to use and enjoy the wilderness and backcountry areas with minimum impact.