POBS Newsletter

LATEST NEWSLETTER: November 2024

Our Favorite Photos of 2024

This past year, students and instructors used course cameras to capture their experience on expedition and day programs. The results were outstanding - hundreds of photos rolled in from the field and we posted them on our website so students could share, download and preserve their Outward Bound memories. Read all about it in the November 2024 newsletter >

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PAST NEWSLETTERS

October 2024: POBS First Day of Giving a Huge Success

POBS held its first-ever Day of Giving on October 24, with a goal of reaching an unprecedented 155 gifts in a single day. Thanks to a legion of volunteers, donors, and advocates, we surpassed that goal, receiving gifts from nearly 200 donors to our Day of Giving campaign, triggering a $5,000 challenge to raise over $22,000 for Outward Bound's life-changing experiential education programs. Read all about it in the October 2024 newsletter >

September 2024: Outward Bound Offers Relief for the "Anxious Generation"

This month we have a special guest blog post written by Matt Norcini, who writes that as parents and educators, limiting "screen time" for young people is only one piece of the puzzle in confronting what is troubling the Anxious Generation. The challenge is finding ways to facilitate for our children the creation of deep and meaningful connection, the development of self and belonging, and a sense of value and purpose in the world. Enter Outward Bound! Read all about it in the September 2024 newsletter >

August 2024: Educators Week In the News!

Every year just before school starts we host hundreds of educators from schools all over Philly to help them prepare for the coming year during Educators Week. This year, we gained the attention of the Philly news media, including most local TV stations as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer. Check out the August 2024 Newsletter >

July 2024: Service in the Wild

Students on expedition give back to the trail they hike on
Service has always been a cornerstone of the Outward Bound experience. Recently POBS teamed up with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference to provide service opportunities to our students on expedition in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Read all about it in the July Newsletter >

June 2024: POBS Trailblazer Gala a Resounding Success

Outward Bound friends and family came to The Discovery Center from near and far to celebrate Katie Newsom and Jennifer Raymond. Read about that plus an Alumni event recap and POBS in the News! Read the June Newsletter >

May 2024: The Transformative Power of Social Emotional Learning

Social Emotional Learning frameworks shape the experiential education programs of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS) and allow POBS to achieve positive outcomes with students of Philadelphia schools. Read the May Newsletter >

April 2024: Trailblazer Gala Will Honor Jennifer Raymond and Katie Newsom for 25 Years of Service

This year the Philadelphia Outward Bound School is proud to honor two legendary women of Outward Bound: Jennifer Raymond and Katie Newsom. Both will be celebrated at the 2024 Trailblazer Gala on June 5th for their 25 years of service, inspiration, and compassion. Read the April Newsletter >

March 2024: Celebrating 25 Years of Jennifer Raymond

On Friday, March 22, all of us at POBS were THRILLED to honor our own Jennifer Raymond for 25 years of service to Outward Bound by throwing a surprise party for her at our Wigard Avenue location in the Wissahickon, AND renaming Goal Pole #1 after her! Read the March 2024 Newsletter >

February 2024: Better Together: Our Partnership with the School District of Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Outward Bound School (POBS) began its partnership with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) over 30 years ago. Today, we celebrate this extraordinary partnership which has evolved and strengthened over the years. Read the February 2024 Newsletter >

January 2024: Meet the Science Behind Outward Bound Magic: The Domains of Thriving

The Domains of Thriving is a tool centered on the social-emotional areas of human development that students experience on an Outward Bound course. It serves as a framework for instructors to plan curriculum and activities as well as a guide for evaluating program impact. Read the January 2024 Newsletter >

December 2023: From Public School Teacher to Outward Bound Instructor

They say retirement is a new adventure. After 34 years teaching in the School District of Philadelphia, Kerry Lubin, seen kneeling with students above right, jumped at the chance to become an Outward Bound instructor. Read the December 2023 Newsletter >

November 2023: "You get used to the weight on your shoulders"

13 year-old student Jayden B. embarked on a 10-day Outward Bound expedition this summer. He overcame homesickness and realized, in his words, "that there is more to the world than Philly and cell phones...” Read the November 2023 newsletter >

October 2023: Building Adventure 2023

This year’s Building Adventure – our high-adrenaline fundraiser in which participants earn the opportunity to rappel down a skyscraper in Center City – saw 115 rappellers and some 1,300 individual donations bring in over $225,000 to fund POBS programs. Read the October newsletter>

September 2023: Breaking the Ice, Outward Bound-Style

Our new Executive Director, Justin Ennis, jumped into the role with both feet -- embarking on his first expedition just a few weeks after joining us. Not only that, he wrote about it! Read the September newsletter >

August 2023: Meet Erica, Hometown Instructor

Erica Wiggins grew up just blocks away from POBS headquarters in North Philadelphia. “Working for POBS is everything I hoped it would be,” she said. “Especially being a young, urban kid that had no prior experience in the wilderness. Now I get to pass on what I’ve learned to other people that look like me.” See the August 2023 Newsletter >

July 2023: Your "PAL" in the Community

POBS and PAL (Police Athletic League) share many similarities, such as fostering connection, community and personal growth through physical experience.

Read what happens when POBS and PAL come together in the July 2023 Newsletter >

June 2023: Service is a Way of Life at POBS

A commitment to service is one of the fundamental pillars of the Outward Bound philosophy. Acts of service challenge students to transcend their personal boundaries and prioritize the needs of others. Read all about it in the June 2023 Newsletter >

May 2023: Meet the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders

The Environmental and Outdoor Leadership Program is a 10-week paid internship program at The Discovery Center to expose Philadelphia students to nature and the outdoor industry through hands-on experiences in local conservation, watershed protection, leadership development, and career exploration. Read all about it in the May 2023 Newsletter >

April 2023: Reimagining School Partnerships with Learning Network 11

At POBS, one of our goals is to better understand and quantify the effects our programs have on the youth we serve - to find and share the data behind the “magic.” Our partnership with Learning Network 11 presents a new opportunity to do just that. Read all about it in the April 2023 Newsletter >

March 2023: Did a Woman Lead the First Outward Bound Expedition?

Yes. Her name was Marina Ewald and she initiated the birth of expeditionary learning. Read all about it in the March 2023 Newsletter >

February 2023: Wilderness First Responder Training at POBS

POBS instructors participated in Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training at The Discovery Center. Read the February 2023 Newsletter >

January 2023: Guest Blog Post from Northeast High School Teacher Andrew Adams

Northeast High School teacher Andrew Adams shares his thoughts on the Appalachian Trail and Outward Bound, and how both inspire him to make education more relevant to students. Read the January 2023 Newsletter >

December 2022: Meet Taj Murdock, Man of Courage

Taj Murdock is a native of North Philadelphia where he leads a youth mentoring program called Men of Courage. After Taj learned about Outward Bound by visiting The Discovery Center, he and his Men of Courage experienced POBS Insight Day programming, and then Taj embarked on a life-changing expedition.

November 2022: 30 Years Later, She's Still Outward Bound

Student Danielle Merritt went on the first POBS expedition in 1993. Years later, teacher Danielle Merritt brought her students on POBS expeditions.

October 2022: Watch "The Founding of POBS" Video!

Part of celebrating our 30th anniversary this year has meant looking back at how and why we were founded. So we put together a video in which our founders tell the story themselves. Learn why they wanted to create an Outward Bound school for the young people of Philadelphia, and how they made it happen.