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The Expedition

Imagine sea kayaking past towering glaciers of blue ice, hiking down coastlines dotted with beached icebergs, and living and traveling in the Alaskan wilderness for weeks at a time. Then imagine learning the necessary skills to not only survive in this environment but to lead. Imagine finding a wellspring of talent and ability within yourself to thrive in the face of challenge, a grounded sense of responsibility to always do your best, and a quiet compassion to serve others and the greater good.

These are just glimpses into the power of expeditioning and the opportunity that STEP is making available to low-income youth whose dream it is to obtain a college degree.

For three weeks, STEP students are given the rare opportunity to join an expedition. They do so with the best in the field, STEP’s expedition partner, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). NOLS takes STEP students out into the backcountry of Alaska to learn and lead in a remote wilderness setting.

How are our students affected by this experience? They come away greatly changed. Through challenges met, STEP students come to realize that they have a tremendous wealth of personal strength from which they can draw to shape their futures. They come to recognize that with determination, perseverance, and hard work, success can be reached, even in the face of hardship. The result is one of individual transformation. Participants come away with enhanced self-esteem, a life-affirming sense of accomplishment, an appreciation for personal responsibility, and a determination to pursue their dreams.

  

“The first half of the trip was designed to show us the fundamentals of leadership. The remaining half gave us all an opportunity to implement the skills we had learned.”

 

Kyle
STEP Graduate

 
 
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