Empower students to grow into resilient, courageous leaders, while amplifying your school’s impact through outdoor, experiential programs.
With Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, Students Don't Just Follow a Map, They Chart One
Every independent school has a true north—the mission that guides students toward shared values, essential skills, and a purpose that shapes who they will become. As students face rising stress and disconnection, and schools are stretched thin, it’s never been more vital to stay rooted in your mission and deliver what students need most: connection, confidence, and real-world learning.
To meet this moment, we’re expanding access to transformative learning experiences with the opening of a new campus. We’ll now have locations in both D.C. and Baltimore, giving students more opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.
When students step into the wilderness, they don’t just follow a map, they chart one. They learn to trust their compass, lean on their crew, and find the courage to lead with heart.
Your mission is their true north.
Our mission is to help them find it and chart it for life.
CHARTING YOUR TRUE NORTH THROUGH:
The Domains of Thriving
We consider ourselves Chart Makers because we walk beside students as they chart their own course. Through the Domains of Thriving framework, we help students and schools head in the direction they want to go with programs that support their unique needs.
And if you’re here, you’re a Chart Maker too.
These four domains—Courage, Belonging, Reflection, and Physical Engagement—define the core of every Outward Bound experience and the foundation for lasting growth.
Take the Chart Maker Quiz to see how your students are growing across the Domains of Thriving.
Take The Quiz
Champion Skills for Thriving
Download the Chart Maker’s Toolkit to advocate for Outward Bound programs at your school. It includes students’ stories, impact data, ready-to-use tools, and a free sample lesson plan that shows how our approach empowers students and aligns with your mission.
I learned the importance of working both hard, and together, creating a safe space for everyone. The physical and mental challenges were great, but it helped me to become a better version of myself. A self that has become more kind, more aware, and more motivated.
Charting Your True North—Right Here in the Chesapeake Region
Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School has opened a permanent outdoor learning campus in Ward 8, joining our long-standing Baltimore campus.
This new DC site builds on our impact in Baltimore, where our flagship campus continues to serve students across the city. Together, both campuses offer the kind of immersive, team-based learning experiences students need now more than ever, right where they live.
About Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School
Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School is part of a global movement grounded in the belief that young people are capable of more than they know. Since 1986, we’ve served nearly 100,000 students across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region through immersive learning experiences that challenge, inspire, and build real-world skills.
Rooted in compassion, integrity, excellence, and diversity, our programs help students realize their full potential.
Since 2020, we’ve partnered with more than 6,000 D.C. students and now we’re growing deeper roots: expanding access, reducing barriers, and meeting students where they are.

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