Sue Churches, Nederland.  The sun approaches its zenith and we’re getting packed up for our Outdoor Leadership programs for youth. At TEENS, Inc. we have always believed there is no greater teacher than nature. In this age of technology and endless distracting entertainment options, nature is the place of calm and quiet where we can find ourselves.

It is there that young people can recognize the promise expressed by Outward Bound founder, Kurt Hahn, who said,

“There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

I love the image in our Annual Report of a young person rappelling down a rock face. She has noticed that the sun on her body creates a shadow on the rock face opposite her. Upon that rock face she has placed the shadow image of herself, flexing the bicep of her right arm, while she holds the rope with her left. That is a striking image of empowerment.

​This is quite the opposite of what our youth often experience in their lives. Too often they are regarded as problems to be limited and controlled. Rather than being empowered to find their purpose and sense of belonging, they are criticized.Add to this the awkwardness, challenges of adolescence, and the thoughts-unable-to-be-clearly-articulated. I think we can all remember how difficult the transition to adulthood can be.

None of that matters when you’re with the Outdoor Leadership group - two miles away from the next camp and you’ve already walked three miles. The bugs are biting and the mind is complaining. The thighs are burning and the throat is dry and the sweat drips into your eyes and stings. Every fiber of your being wants to be back home on the couch hanging out on social media and YouTube videos—but there’s no way out. You’ve got to reach down and find something you didn’t know was there to make it those last two miles.

That boulder field up ahead is your teacher. It’s not lecturing you about the principles of physics or the probability of turning an ankle. It’s just waiting there calmly, gray granite daubed with chartreuse and orange lichen, uneven and 200-yards across, looking like some level of hell from Dante’s Inferno. You get up on it and pick your way across. By the last ten yards your legs are shaking and your eyes are bleary and the sun is burning a hole in the back of your neck.

“My confidence and self esteem changed tremendously on this trip.

I feel better about my abilities, inner qualities, and who I am as a person.” – Katie: Girls Spring Trip

These are the breakthroughs that we at TEENS, Inc. get out of bed for every morning. These are the times when our work feels important. This is the reason we set for ourselves ever more ambitious fundraising goals each year. We set them beyond what we think is possible because, like our Outdoor Leadership programs, we want to stretch ourselves. We want to “walk the walk” of our values, living the perseverance and creativity we encourage in the youth we serve.

And you know what? We’ve come close – but never hit that fundraising goal. Each year, we get a little closer. This year, we’re closer than ever, only $12,800 away—a mere handhold from the summit. I believe, as Kurt Hahn said, “There is more in us than we know,” and we can hit that goal. You can help us hit it like that teen who digs deep to walk that last mile to camp. Like that last teen in the line, who may have never done a long hike with a heavy pack before, we need the courage to ask for some support.

Can you help us reach the summit? Can you be that little bit of encouragement that helps us recognize what we’re capable of and know the satisfaction of reaching a financial goal we’ve never reached before? I can only imagine what might be possible for us if we make it to the summit. By reaching our goal, it will make us even bolder in the future, even more dedicated to our mission, and more empowered than ever to serve the future by inspiring and encouraging the youth of today.

P.S. Nearly 80% of youth in our Outdoor Leadership Program receive a scholarship; 18% receive a full scholarship.

Here is a link to donate -

https://www.coloradogives.org/index.php?section=organizations&action=newDonation&fwID=36243

May we suggest a significant donation to meet our goal of $12,800? Thank you for your generosity and belief in what we accomplish with young people in our area!