This summer, Summer Searchers traded the familiar for the unknown, and discovered new places, communities, and things about themselves along the way.  

Students from all five Summer Search sites backpacked in the wilderness, paddled rivers, hiked mountains, served communities, took their first college-level courses, embarked on first internships, and spent days unplugged and fully immersed in the experiences around them. 

And they came home knowing a lot more about what they’re capable of! Here’s a look at some of the journeys our community made possible. 

Leo F. took a 12-day backcountry leadership experience with Sierra Nevada Journeys, building confidence through everything from backpacking and kayaking to archery and horseback riding. Leo shared: “Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable. That’s when you learn new things.”  

 

 

Get comfortable being a little uncomfortable. That may be one of the simplest and simultaneously powerful lessons a Summer Searcher can take home. Taking difficult classes in high school or college, starting a job, or making any number of big life choices may always feel a little hard, but Summer Searchers have the chance to step into unfamiliar territory and discover that discomfort can be the beginning of something new and wonderful. 

Mason T. almost didn’t go on his Deer Hill trip. He was feeling nervous and considered backing out at the last minute and staying in Seattle. But something pulled him forward—and he’s now certain it was the right decision:   

“If there was even a decision in my life that I least regret, it would be this trip. It meant more to me than I think I know now. This trip has opened my eyes to another part of myself.”

Damian J.’s Deer Hill experience exploring the San Juan river wasn’t always easy. His group faced challenges and conflict along the way. But working through those moments became part of what made the experience meaningful. By the end, Damian was surprised by how much the group had changed—and how much he had learned from the people around him. 

“The chemistry everybody had was amazing. I learned so much about everyone in the group and about Hopi and just everything in general. I loved the experience and the people I met and I would do it all over again.”

For Boston Summer Searcher Lorena Q., an Environmental Stewardship program with Overland offered the chance to step away from the everyday in Boston and into the outdoors.

“I had an amazing time! I made good friends and good connections! I loved being able to hike and go white water rafting! It was such a stress relief trip without my phone or anything! And overall it was such a beautiful experience.”

 

 

Johnathan F. also relished time outdoors in nature and particularly loved learning to backcountry cook: 

“Camping brought me the most joy because it helped me really connect with the people around me…When it was my time to cook, it really helped me feel even more connected to the community than I thought I ever could.”

 

 

Summer Searcher Peter S., who went on the San Juan River Quest with Deer Hill in Colorado and Utah, captured this very important part of a Summer Search experience in just a few words: “The only thing more beautiful than the scenery were the relationships made.” 

 

 

And for Nicole L., the experience brought a new appreciation for the fleeting nature of these moments, and for the people and experiences that make them meaningful. 

“Everything is temporary. People, money, experiences, etc. Everything has a beginning and an end. This is why it’s important to appreciate everything, even the little things in life.”

 

 

Though the longest these trips last is a few weeks, they have an outsized impact on our participants perspective on themselves and on the rest of the world. Yeiris M. from New York participated in a community service trip with Global Works Puerto Rico and thrived when given the opportunity to build homes for the community:

“I learned that I’m pretty strong. I didn’t know I was capable of hauling all these buckets of cement and doing all this physical work since I’m so used to just the academics. But it was a lot of fun to be able to be part of something so meaningful.”

 

 

Each and every Summer Searcher has returned with something new. A new skill. A new friend. A new perspective. A new sense of belonging. A new understanding of what they can do. 

As summer winds down and these students prepare to start their junior and senior years of high school, they’ll carry what they’ve learned on their trips forward. They’ll keep in touch with the friends they made, they’ll remember wisdom their trip leaders shared, and they’ll dream bigger having seen different communities and new parts of our country and the world.