Philadelphia Outward Bound Center

TO SERVE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS THROUGH ACTIVE LEARNING EXPEDITIONS THAT INSPIRE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SELF-DISCOVERY AND SERVICE BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

THE MISSION OF THE PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL IS TO CHANGE LIVES THROUGH CHALLENGE AND DISCOVERY. IN 1992, PHILADELPHIA LEADERS, INCLUDING FORMER PHILADELPHIA MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER, ESTABLISHED THE PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL (POBS) TO INSPIRE AND EQUIP OUR REGION'S YOUNG PEOPLE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE THROUGH OUTDOOR LEARNING PROGRAMS AND EXPEDITIONS THAT BUILD CHARACTER, DEVELOP LEADERSHIP, AND FOSTER AN ETHIC OF SERVICE TO ONE'S COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. TODAY, THE ORGANIZATION IS ONE OF 11 INDEPENDENT AND LOCALLY OPERATED SCHOOLS CHARTERED BY OUTWARD BOUND USA. POBS IS THE FIRST OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL IN THE U.S. AND THE SECOND IN THE WORLD TO EARN RIGOROUS ACCREDITATION FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION (AEE).POBS PROVIDES PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON STUDENTS FROM PUBLIC, CHARTER, AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY AND NORTHERN DELAWARE. POBS ALSO OFFERS SPECIALIZED COURSES FOR EDUCATORS, VETERANS, AND GRIEVING TEENS. OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, POBS HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY, FROM SERVING 48 YOUTH IN 1993 TO SERVING OVER 5,000 YOUTH AND ADULTS IN 2021.EIGHTY-THREE PERCENT OF POBS STUDENTS COME FROM LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN PHILADELPHIA, AND 75% ARE ENROLLED IN SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOLS. POBS SINGLE-DAY AND MULTI-DAY OUTDOOR EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS IN CHALLENGING ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND BUILD CHARACTER, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, IN THEIR CAREERS, AND IN LIFE. IN 2021, OVER 5,000 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN: POBS YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS-INSIGHT COURSES ARE ONE-DAY SESSIONS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER'S AERIAL TEAMS CHALLENGE COURSE WHERE PARTICIPANTS OVERCOME FEARS, LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER, AND LEAVE WITH A GREATER APPRECIATION OF THEIR POTENTIAL.-PEER LEADERSHIP EXPEDITIONS ARE WEEK-LONG COURSES THAT ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS WITH PEERS IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND PERSONAL SKILLS.-GET OUT AND LEAD IS A MERIT-AWARD BASED 10-DAY EXPEDITION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE PA WILDERNESS.-YOUTH LEADERSHIP CORPS IS A MERIT-AWARD BASED 14-DAY EXPEDITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT FEATURES BACKPACKING, CANOEING, AND ROCK-CLIMBING IN THE PA WILDERNESS. POBS SPECIALTY PROGRAMS-EDUCATORS EXPEDITIONS DEVELOP EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATIONAL SKILLS THAT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TAKE BACK INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS.-GRIEVING TEENS ARE SPECIALTY EXPEDITION COURSES FOR YOUTH AGES 14-17 WHO HAVE SUFFERED A TRAUMATIC LOSS.-OUTWARD BOUND FOR VETERANS EXPEDITIONS HELP VETERANS BUILD PEER NETWORKS AND ASSIST IN POST- DEPLOYMENT ADJUSTMENT TO LIFE AT HOME.A TOP PRIORITY FOR POBS IN 2021 HAS BEEN TO INTRODUCE OUR NEAREST NEIGHBORS TO OUTWARD BOUND PROGRAMMING AND TO MAKE THE AT OUR HEADQUARTERS IN THE WORLD-CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FACILITY, THE DISCOVERY CENTER, IN EAST FAIRMOUNT PARK NEAR THE STRAWBERRY MANSION NEIGHBORHOOD. THE CENTER ENABLES POBS TO MEET RISING DEMAND FOR ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVE MORE STUDENTS THAN IT HAS YET IN ITS HISTORY. THE DISCOVERY CENTER IS A JOINT VENTURE WITH NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY AFFILIATE AUDUBON MID ATLANTIC, AND IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND CENTER FOR NATURE CONSERVATION AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. OVERLOOKING A 37-ACRE LAKE, THE DISCOVERY CENTER FEATURES INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, EXHIBITIONS, TRAILS, HIGH ROPES COURSE, CLIMBING WALL, AND BIRD-WATCHING LOOK-OUTS - ALL AMENITIES THAT WILL FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE LIVES OF PHILADELPHIA YOUTH THROUGH POBS' PROGRAMS.