The City Kids Wilderness Project is a nonprofit outdoor education program for underserved and at-risk inner-city youths, aged 12-18, from metropolitan Washington, D.C. Our program joins youth and staff in a cooperative family atmosphere. We utilize the outdoor, natural environment as a classroom for academic, recreational and life skills. These are valuable lessons for all individuals. At-risk youth, however, lack the systems—home, school and community—that can provide children with the necessary experiences, role models and support. Our program fills this void by offering school-year activities and events, summer camp, job training and academic scholarships.
   Experiential learning promotes the discovery of inner strengths and new skills. Through the process of facilitation, we help the children transfer lessons learned to real life. The first step is to present the participants with a challenge. The challenge generally has several components physical, intellectual, interpersonal and intra-personal. For instance, a backpacking trip into the wilderness involves learning outdoor survival skills, preparing the equipment, hiking on difficult terrain, carrying a heavy pack, dealing with the elements and living in an unfamiliar environment. Perhaps a child becomes discouraged and tired. Or, it may start to rain. Whatever the challenge, our staff is prepared to guide the children, to teach them to be proactive and to help them reach a successful outcome. Rather than thinking, "I can't do it", City Kids students experience success and say, "I did it".

   In the facilitation process, the children discover connections between the outdoor challenges and their life back in the city. The transfer of learning promotes the development of positive relationship skills, effective problem solving techniques and a healthy self-image. A child may learn to deal with anger experienced personally or within the group at a particularly difficult stage of the hike. Another child may struggle with a lack of confidence, sitting down on the trail, refusing to walk further, only to realize that this reaction presents another set of problems. This child receives comfort, support and encouragement from adults and peers. Eventually finishing the hike, those who struggled and those who nurtured gain in self-confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness. Leaders emerge from the group. Problem solving skills evolve. Children experience the joy of personal and group success. They have fun in a wholesome, natural environment.
  Later, in the debriefing part of the facilitation process students are encouraged to discover and share metaphoric connections as a way to make the experience more meaningful and relevant. Discussions of home, school and social situations arise and the learning is applied to these real life situations.

  At our summer camp, we create a supportive, safe environment that encourages the individual development of each child. The magnificent western environment provides inspiration and solace to children often stressed by their urban environment. We limit enrollment to 30 children and teens per session. Sessions vary in length from 2 1/2 to 9 weeks. Staff and campers live on a rustic 62-acre ranch complete with swimming pool, log cabins, and lodge. Jackson Hole is located at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and provides a wealth of outdoor and social opportunities.
  The counselors work individually with each camper to set goals, to establish a mastery plan, and to evaluate outcomes. A low counselor-to-camper ratio of 1:4 allows for a lot of personal attention. We are committed to giving each camper a significant amount of support, guidance, and supervision. We want our campers to feel secure, to know they are special, and to realize that their feelings are important. We believe our nurturing counselors are more than instructors they are role models, friends, and mentors to our campers.
  Our goal is to promote deeper self-awareness, improved self-esteem, and greater confidence in our participants. We believe that the Wyoming wilderness and outdoor adventure activities provide challenging and fulfilling experiences for youth. This environment coupled with our caring staff creates opportunities for new life experiences otherwise unattainable for these children. At a glance, a casual observer at camp may see children just being children as they play in the outdoors. We see much more. We see children becoming strong, healthy, and happy adults. Visit Students for more information.

  Horseback Riding, Hiking, and Backpacking in National Parks & Forests, Swimming, Canoeing, Kayaking and White Water Rafting, Rock Climbing, Hot Springs, Environmental Education, Cultural & Community Events, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Park, Team Building Skills, Cooperative Living Skills, Games, Orienteering, Fishing, Camping Skills, Journal Writing, Crafts, Camp Fires, Singing, Fun & Relaxation.

  Students, aged 12-13, new to camp (Rangers) or returning participants (Mountaineers) live in cabins with other children of similar ages. Activities are specially designed to meet individual needs and to address age appropriate developmental assets.
  Our youngest members engage in activities that encourage personal assets such as self-reliance, personal responsibility, and sociability. The children experience group living and new environments. We introduce them to outdoor living and teach them the basic skills of backpacking, canoeing, swimming, and horseback riding. Older members, build upon their first-year skills by exploring activities in greater depth with expectations for higher levels of achievement, teamwork and self-respect.