Abby had an amazing experience. She had so many opportunities that we could never offer her at home. She gained confidence in her physical abilities. It truly was an experience that she will never forget. She can’t name one favorite thing—she loved it all, but she is most proud of summiting Mt. Shasta. As Abby has talked about the trip, it is very obvious that an incredible amount of planning went into not only the long-term planning, but the day-to-day logistics. It really sounds like every detail is taken into account and planned out.

Adventure Treks was a tremendous experience. Just by leaving my son gained some responsibility for getting himself there by himself. Once there, he seemed to fit right in and made friends easily. He really loved the adventure and the friends he made. He loved the whitewater rafting, and Mt. Shasta was a very memorable event. Overall, I would say that this was money very well spent, and he is already planning to go to Alaska next year with the friends he made this year.

It was tough and challenging at times but a confidence-builder. Our son came away with new skills, new friends, and a more sure sense of his abilities. Our son said his trip was “Great! Over time, we built a strong community, and toward the end you felt more and more comfortable with your community.” Also, I felt that when I needed to speak to someone at the office, they were always available.

He enjoyed every bit of it. It is a rare opportunity for teens these days to be immersed in the outdoors and with so many different activities—mountain cycling, whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, backpacking, etc.—infused in one camp! We liked that our son would be spending time in the great outdoors and being pushed to build tenacity. It was great that he is immersed with peers for so many days and that he could learn to work as a team.

My daughter had a wonderful time. She signed up without knowing anyone who was going, but she met and got to know people that she said she probably wouldn’t have even talked to had she met them at school. She admitted that not having her phone for that long was great—she was truly disconnected from the real world for three weeks.

I was so happy about what AT did for Faith’s acceptance of self and view of the world. I was really proud of how she could step outside of her comfort zone both in the activities and those who she met in her AT community and be open to new experiences. I wanted her to go back to solidify a lot of what was started in 2017. Faith let herself feel uncomfortable and was rewarded for this by being able to believe in herself and her strengths. Her first year was so much about worrying about other people. This year, it was wonderful to see Faith continue to care for others but also let loose and allow her own growth through challenge.

Adventure Treks is a life-changing experience. While all the activities are group-oriented, the growth and learning is unique and individual for each child. They are pushed outside of their comfort zones in ways that day-to-day life just can’t do. My son described his community as supportive, uplifting, and energetic.

Alexander came home from his first Adventure Treks experience in 2017 telling tales of endurance, satisfaction, grit, excitement, endearment, and anticipation with an appetite for more of the same. The first trip was our idea, but the second trip in 2018 was all his idea. Adventure Treks has figured out that parents want their kids to experience at least a bit of life away from electronics. We need our kids to know that they can get through challenging and uncomfortable times while coming out the other side with memories of their achievements, their incredible adventures and lifelong friendships based on support, humor and shared experiences. Adventure Treks is incredibly well organized and well run, and we implicitly trust our kids in their hands.