This week I celebrate my first year here at VOBS. I can't help but to look back and reflect on all the reasons I look forward to coming to work. Your support for our mission,
our students' stories of transformation, and our dedicated and passionate staff and instructors come to mind first. Every day, I am surrounded by endless reminders that our work makes a difference and that there is always "more in us than we know." Reading student course reflections, listening to an instructor debrief about being on course, hearing a partner talk about the effects of our programming, listening to why you choose to give, and reminiscing with a past alumn that just celebrated their 23rd anniversary on course. These reminders truly make VOBS the best place to work. Thank you.
In the last issue of “The Spark” we featured the inspiring story of VOBS alumn and first-time donor, Deb Billings. This issue, I’m excited to lift up one of my fellow Outward Bound staff members and VOBS alumn, Yoshie Kateada.
Last week, my coworkerLilyand I had the opportunity to sit down with Yoshie and hear about her challenges on course, her favorite experiences and why she recommends Outward Bound to everyone she meets. As Yoshie told us, "a year and a half out
of college I went into Voyageur Outward Bound's Pathfinder program
feeling lost and anxious. I was excited for a break from the stressors of home and while I was optimistic about enjoying the journey, I vastly underestimated the life change I was about to experience."
"I wanted to believe that everyone was capable of leadership, but I did not fully believe this about myself until this course."
The "life-changing" experience Yoshie refers to, led her to further involvement with VOBS and put her on the path to becoming an instructor. However, as Yoshie explains, "whether outdoor education is your interest or not - Pathfinder courses offer powerful tools to re-imagine your life and redefine what you're capable of. I wanted to believe that everyone was capable of leadership, but I did not fully believe this about myself until this course." Read about Yoshie's
journey here on our blog.
If you have a VOBS story you would like to share, I'd love to hear from you!
Thank you so much for your support of Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS). Our wilderness programs show people that they are capable of more than they know – through challenge, they discover they have great character, and potential for leadership, and we encourage them to use
that character and leadership in the service of others. In 2016, VOBS provided more than 200 safe and outstanding programs to over 2,100 students across 15,000+ student program days. This more than doubles the number of students we worked with in 2012.
If you would like to share feedback on our Annual Report or have questions about our programs we would love to hear from you! Email me at Courtney.Kupsch@vobs.org or call: 651.401.0635.
YOU'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Thank you for
being a part of a community that develops accomplished and compassionate people to make a positive difference in their lives, their communities and the world.
When you donate to VOBS, you are changing lives by providing students with unparalleled opportunities for personal growth, self-reliance, teamwork and compassion. Click here or on the image to the left and read about how your gift makes a difference for the students we serve.
Your support is critical to helping VOBS provide “life-changing” expeditions to over 2,000 students every year. Donate today, and give the gift of challenge and discovery!
