“On Thompson Island it's the combination of many little moments, where students are given an opportunity to overcome something themselves, that continually tells them, 'You can do it. It may seem scary and hard, but you can.”
—Cinthia Colon, 5th Grade Teacher, Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School
"Every time my daughter would come home from Thompson Island, she would tell me how she learned about a different part of science and asked me to take her to the library. This program was a blessing."
—Mireille Louis, Parent
Closing the Opportunity Gap for Boston’s Youth with EDUCATIONAL Programs and Social Emotional Development
All young people deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. Research shows that by age 12, students growing up in underserved communities have had 6,000 fewer hours to learn outside the classroom than peers from well-resourced communities. Our flagship program, Connections, plays a crucial role in closing this gap.
Impact
What students learn on Thompson Island helps harness experiences in the natural world to enhance children's ability to question, observe, think creatively and use their imagination. Thompson Island Outward Bound’s outdoor education programs build confidence and resilience, develop students' skills to work effectively with others and improve academic achievement.
The following outcomes have been documented by external evaluators:
Academic: Improved school performance in ELA, Math, and Science
Social Emotional Development: Increased self-awareness and self-confidence, as well as increased understanding and compassion towards others
Leadership: Demonstrated ability to set goals, inspire and guide others to achieve them; increased ability to collaborate, communicate, solve problems and resolve conflicts effectively
Service: Demonstrated social and environmental responsibility and a desire to actively engage in service to others