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Wilderness Education Program Teaches Life Lessons Too

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) Learning to rock climb, kayak, or backpack through the wilderness certainly sounds adventurous, but trips like these can provide some of life's greatest lessons. And that's the goal of this week's Jefferson Award winner: to teach young people to lead, serve and problem-solve with integrity and compassion.

Josh Brankman believes in the "out" in Outward Bound. After more than 15 years as a teacher, principal, and wilderness education leader, he helped establish Outward Bound California in 2009.

"Those programs were traditionally being accessed by students in middle class and upper middle class communities and not necessarily in low income communities and communities of color," Brankman explained. He knew inner city kids needed help too:

"We decided to come to an area where we could partner with community members and bring our programming to that community as well."

  • Outward Bound can use volunteers and also more outdoor gear. Here's a link to their wish list.

As Executive Director, Brankman has partnered Outward Bound California with groups such as Larkin Street Youth in San Francisco, where participants soon realize the experience is really a means to an end.

"Communication and having trust and really... challenging," mused participant Jooney Williams. "Having challenges and overcoming your challenges."

"What we see in all students is this ability to harness their own capabilities and also look at a group around them and think of problems as a group problem that's something they can solve together," Brankman said.

Larkin Street Education Liason Specialist Morgan Beazley sees Brankman's vision working.

"I always hear my students talking about wanting to return to the place where they had the experience with Outward Bound, like 'Why don't we take another day and go to Baker Beach' or 'Let's go kayaking again,'" Beazley reported.

So for helping give inner city kids the tools to achieve more in life, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Josh Brankman.

Outward Bound can use volunteers and also more outdoor gear. Here's a link to their wish list.

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