F¹rst Graduate

Outdoor educational experiences test students' limits, much like going to college will.

Last spring, First Graduate student Jesus took part in a 22-day Outward Bound excursion to Oregon. Halfway through the trip, which included white river rafting and mountaineering, Jesus found himself feeling discouraged and homesick, and considered calling it quits. But after thinking it through one morning, he decided to push himself through the difficult mental and physical challenges. “It was a very unique experience for me because I’ve never done anything so hard in my life,” says Jesus, who is a junior at Leadership High School. “I’ve never been pushed out of my comfort zone and Outward Bound just really helped me see how far I could go and what I could accomplish.”

To provide more students like Jesus with this type of life-changing, confidence-building experience, First Graduate has partnered with Outward Bound Bay Area to launch new programming during the spring and summer. “We’ve been trying to find a way to incorporate leadership development, team building and developing trust among our cohorts that’s structured,” says Anthony Mickens (aka Amph!), Senior Program Associate at First Graduate. “Outward Bound does that,” he adds.

Starting in February, our 7th and 8th graders will take six weeks of Outward Bound classes. In these after-school sessions, Outward Bound staff will engage our students in lessons that explore different themes, such as problem-solving, communication, and leadership styles. The instructors will use skits and challenge the students to do the same, says Maggie Lyons, Community Liaison at Outward Bound. Each week, “there’s a lesson and a game that correlates,” she explains.

After the spring classes, the programming will continue with full-day sessions in the  summer. First Graduate’s rising 10th graders will take part in a two-day program focused on team building. “We’re going to go rock climbing, which always requires trust and support,” says Lyons.

Inside the classroom and out, First Graduate students will learn to trust themselves and each other.

The program culminates in a five-day Urban Course for the rising 9th graders, who will be exploring and camping at different sites in San Francisco. These sites include the zoo, Rob Hill Campground in the Presidio, and Angel Island. Throughout the in-class and outdoor courses, students will learn about Outward Bound core values, which include compassion, integrity, excellence, and inclusion and diversity.

Most important, the students, like Jesus, will have the opportunity to see what they can do as they prepare to meet their educational goals. “I finished the 22 days and I’m proud to say that I got to the top of a mountain,” he recalls. “That feeling of accomplishment made me realize I could get that same feeling when I’m the first in my family to graduate from high school and go to college.”