NOLS Blog

Two young backpackers study a topographic map together in a lush green forest, one wearing a tan baseball cap and dark jacket, the other in a maroon shirt with a hiking pack, practicing navigation skills.

Outdoor Leadership Programs for High School Students: Why Wilderness Matters

February 4, 2026

Parents searching for summer opportunities face an overwhelming marketplace of camps, programs, and experiences. Sports camps, academic enrichment, traditional summer camps, leadership programs—the options seem endless. But among all the choices, one category consistently produces deeper, longer-lasting outcomes than the rest: outdoor leadership programs for high school students. These programs combine the transformative power of…

Six smiling backpackers pose together on a hillside in Alaska, wearing full expedition packs and holding trekking poles, with dramatic mountain peaks and moody clouds in the background.

Why Teens Need Leadership Skills: A Guide for Parents

January 29, 2026

Every parent wants their teenager to succeed—good grades, college acceptance, a fulfilling career. But there's something that predicts ...

Ship’s Log: Sailing in Greece’s Ionian Sea Alumni Trip

January 27, 2026

Photo by Nick Braun After a few days of moderate winds, good introductory sailing and island exploring while ...

Three young women in rain jackets and sun hats sit together on an open grassland, laughing and leaning into each other, with rolling green hills and stormy skies in the background.

Teen Gap Year Programs: Adventure-Based Options for Before College

January 22, 2026

The traditional path says: graduate high school, start college immediately, don’t look back. But a growing number of families and college admissions advisors are questioning this formula—and discovering that what looks like a detour often becomes the most valuable part of the journey. Gap year programs for teens have moved from the fringe to the…

Group of teen backpackers hikes single-file through desert scrubland at golden hour, carrying full packs up a trail with arid mountains and scattered vegetation in the warm afternoon light.

Best Backpacking Trips for Teens: Wilderness Adventures That Build Character

January 15, 2026

Something happens when a teenager shoulders a pack, leaves cell service behind, and walks into the wilderness. Something that organized sports, academic programs, and traditional summer camps—though these experiences have their benefits—simply cannot replicate. Backpacking trips for teens offer more than adventure. They offer transformation. And for parents searching for experiences that genuinely change their…

Four teen backpackers with large expedition packs stand at the edge of a lake in the Rocky Mountains, with snow-patched granite peaks and dramatic clouds reflected in the still water behind them.

Leadership Programs for High School Students: What Parents Need to Know

January 8, 2026

Your teenager stands at a pivotal moment. The skills they develop now—how they handle challenges, work with others, and step up when it matters—will shape their path through college, careers, and life. But here’s what many parents discover too late: traditional classroom settings rarely build the kind of leadership that matters in the real world.…

The Poley-Poley: A Chronicle in the Himalayas

January 5, 2026

It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. —Confucius The air was thick. My strides were slow and purposeful, careful not to disrupt the group’s cadence. The thrill of spotting Everest Base Camp, still two hours away, motivated me to maintain the syncopated rhythm of deep breathing. Hypoxia…

Case Study: Injury on the Grand Canyon

December 30, 2025

The Setting You’re on day 12 of a 21-day Grand Canyon expedition, enjoying a well deserved stretch of flat water, staring at the canyon walls and not paying attention to what’s downstream. While enjoying the last of your morning coffee, you hear someone cry out from a nearby raft. You look over and see a…

NOLS Releases Newest Edition of Leadership Educator Notebook, an Instructor’s Toolbox

December 8, 2025

NOLS is pleased to introduce the newest edition of the Leadership Educator Notebook, a collection of the educational tools NOLS instructors use to incorporate leadership ideas and activities into courses. What is the Leadership Educator Notebook?Filled with activities, lessons, prompts, frameworks and quotes, and edited by Zach Taylor, Liz Tuohy, Phoebe Gebright, and other members…