The Pilgrimage is the only summer program of its kind designed specifically for teenage boys. We’ve created an extraordinary 5-week journey for a group of rising 10th and 11th grade guys to contemplate their identities as young men while exploring the expansive wilderness of California and the magical Urubamba Valley of Peru.
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” - Edward Abbey
The first chapter of any good story sets the stage for what’s to come. The Pilgrimage begins in the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest where we forge the relationships and foundational skills that will define the rest of our experience together.
While exploring the wild Central Coast and earning a Wilderness First Aid certification, we will dive right into challenging, big-picture conversations about masculinity and our experience as men in our communities. We will also establish a covenant that we will all commit to honoring for the rest of the trip.
“It is through weakness and vulnerability that most of us learn empathy and compassion and discover our soul.” - Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The second leg of our journey is grounded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu. “I am because we are.” We will learn to open our hearts and minds and contemplate the interconnected nature of the world.
The setting for the heart of our story will be the magical city of Cusco and the breathtaking Urubamba Valley in Peru. While exploring the city and acclimatizing to the altitude, we will continue to connect to each other, the place, and our purpose. From Cusco, we travel to the rural foothills of the Andes to spend a week living and working alongside a Quechuan community. Here, we will help our hosts with a community-identified project and deepen our understanding of grounding service work in the concept of accompaniment.
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” - John Muir
The final chapter starts in the mystical mountains of the Andes and ends where our story begins - in the natural cathedrals of the California wilderness. Our group will affirm the bond we’ve created together and commit to the life of a courageous citizen. The details of this part of the journey are a secret.
Parents - don’t worry, you will receive a full briefing ahead of our trip.
Boys - you won’t know exactly where we are headed until you arrive…
