Creating access and belonging for the youth of Philadelphia

Our Founding

POBS was founded in 1992 when co-founders Nancy Goldenberg, Tim Greenwood and Michael Nutter envisioned a city-based Outward Bound school dedicated to inspiring Philadelphia’s young people with self-confidence and leadership skills. As a satellite site of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS) and with close ties to what is now the Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School (CBOBS), a small group of passionate Philadelphia Friends of Outward Bound formulated plans, raised funds and made connections in the School District of Philadelphia.

In 1993, they saw the first fruits of their labor when a group of 40 Philadelphia public school students and 8 teachers traveled by school bus to CBOBS in Baltimore to participate in a five-day sailing course. The first expedition of what was to become the Philadelphia Outward Bound School was launched.