Originally created by Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, nominations are now officially OPEN for the first-ever nationwide Blue Heron Educator Awards! Celebrate excellence and recognize those who inspire us to lead better in the community. We invite you to nominate a teacher, school leader, youth program facilitator, or educational partner in your community. Submit your nominations by May 31st!

Challenge is at the core of what we do. From our in-classroom character curriculum to our high-ropes course to backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, we help students build durable skills that empower them to find the courage and resilience they need to tackle real-life challenges. Encouraging students to stretch themselves both physically and emotionally results in greater confidence, increased awareness, and a more dynamic sense of personal motivation. On this celebratory Cornerstone evening, we honor those who have dedicated their time, intention and financial resources to help build brighter futures for youth in our region, and to celebrate NEW plans for CBOBS on the horizon. 

Get tickets here.

In 2021, with help from our generous sponsors, CBOBS introduced a revolutionary new payment model for instructor staff. Four years on, we examine the factors that led us to adopt this change and the numerous ways our organization has benefitted from it. Read the full story on our Blog

Unforgettable adventure starts with Outward Bound- sign up for an expedition today! Plus, you can save $500 on select courses including Potomac River Canoeing and Appalacian Backpacking when you book by March 31st. Click here to make this the summer of a lifetime!

Turn your passion for personal growth, youth development, and experiential education into a career. Instructor positions are open now! No previous outdoor experience is necessary to begin your journey. It is always a good time to join our crew. Apply today or click to learn more about the position.

Research finds that high quality SEL interventions increased students’ academic performance by 11 percentile points. Social and emotional skills support students' ability to connect, regulate, and learn from challenges. Outward Bound provides high quality field trips that have impact!

Book a program today!

We're excited to announce this summer's Educator Expedition! Rejuvenate and engage in professional development with your peers. This canoeing expedition is specifically geared towards teachers and youth workers, and offered at a special lower cost. Participants will work to create a peer learning community that will explore key elements of experiential learning and social-emotional development facilitated by Outward Bound instructors.

Reserve your spot today!

We are looking for people who find joy in youth development, personal growth, and experiential outdoor education. Our instructors predominantly work with youth across the Baltimore and Washington DC region on multi-day backpacking, canoeing, or sea kayaking expeditions geared at building social and emotional life skills.

Learn more and apply here!

Don't be afraid to get your feet wet! Our low cost scholarship expeditions build and expand upon the skills developed on previous Outward Bound experiences. Participants backpack, camp outside, and work together to develop leadership, communication, and collaboration skills. If you're interested in this unique opportunity, don't hesitate! The deadline to apply is March 31st. Open to residents of DC, MD, VA, and WV only.

Learn more and apply here!

This summer, volunteers from Deloitte showed up for Outward Bound during their national Impact Day. Read about the positive impact this type of nonprofit - corporate cooperation can have in the latest Community Circle blog post!

Check it out here!

Did you know our Executive Director used to be an elementary school teacher? Learn more about ED Kristen Komlosy and her passion for education and the outdoors as reported in the Hill Rag newspaper.

Join us in charting bold futures! In 2023, we served over 5,000 students in D.C and Baltimore combined, and subsidized over $900,000 to ensure that our programs could be accessed by as many community members as possible. Help us keep increasing those numbers in 2024 and beyond by contributing to our Year End Campaign.

Your team is one-of-a-kind, and your teambuilding program should be too. We offer customizable experiences tailored to the specific needs, goals, and dynamics of your team, ensuring a perfect fit every time. Through shared challenges, collaborative problem-solving, and mutual support, our programs foster a culture of generosity and teamwork among colleagues.

Reenergize, reengage, and refresh your team like never before!

Check out our latest Community Circle blog entry! This recurring segment highlights the partnerships and people making an impact in our community. Today's post focuses on Waterfront Partnership's recent Baltimore Floatilla event and features an engaging segment written by one of our Course Directors. Click here to read! 

Join Outward Bound for an engaging happy hour at Dacha Beer Garden. We are selling a $20 wristband that allows you to enjoy an extra 2 hours of Happy Hour pricing at Dacha Beer Garden on Tuesday, August 27th. All wristband proceeds go directly to Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School. Pre-order yours here!

What exactly have we been up to this past year? Take a deep dive into our Insight program, learn more about CBOBS in Washington DC, discover our impact and community engagement, and so much more! Plus, numbers and statistics to back everything up!

Check out the report here!

"93% of teachers report that Outward Bound staff created a safe and supportive learning environment for their students."

Our Executive Director Kristen spoke with Comcast Newsmakers on the impact of the work CBOBS has been doing, and continues to, do in the Baltimore and DC areas.

Two opportunities to come together to connect with Outward Bound crew and community invested in transformative education for local youth. See you in Washington, DC on June 5th and Baltimore on June 6th. Click the links to RSVP!

Experience the thrill of an Outward Bound adventure! Summer courses are open for registration and our offerings include (but aren't limited to):

Potomac River Canoeing and Appalachian Backpacking & Rock Climbing

Chesapeake Bay Sea Kayaking

Appalachian and Dolly Sods Wilderness Backpacking and Rock Climbing

Appalachian Backpacking & Rock Climbing for Girls

Turn your passion for personal growth, youth development, and experiential education into a career. Instructor positions are open now! No previous outdoor experience is necessary to begin your journey. It is always a good time to join our crew. Apply today or learn more about the position.

The Blue Heron Educator Award is about honoring educators who embody the characteristics of agility, integrity, compassion, and perseverance, and have gone above and beyond to inspire those same traits in their students—both in and out of the classroom. We're looking to hear your stories about educators who have made an impact in your lives.

Nominate an educator here!

Lucky for you, some of our alumni were willing to give you a little glimpse of how they felt during their Outward Bound course. Hear them speak about the challenge, the connection, the fun they had, and how their course made them want to be a better person and experience more of what life has to offer!

Read OB Stories

If you forgot to pick one up after your expedition, or just want to support and represent our cause, the school store has you covered! New offerings include a branded 5 panel hat and a polyester blend, 100% carbon neutral tee.

School Store

"There is so much that goes into how we play outside." To describe the compassion and care our instructors put into an Outward Bound experience is only the beginning. Watch the full "Behind the Expedition" series on our YouTube.

Watch & Subscribe>