Pinnacle Scholarship Program
The Pinnacle Scholarship Program enables low-income, high-potential youth to tap into their inner strengths by challenging themselves physically, mentally and emotionally on wilderness courses. Through pre- and post-course mentoring and a service component, Northwest Outward Bound ensures that these students have the tools they need to succeed and transfer skills learned on-course into their daily lives. Upon course completion, Pinnacle scholars report greater self-confidence, increased leadership skills and an improved sense of personal responsibility and compassion.
- In 2016 Northwest Outward Bound School awarded 31 Pinnacle Scholarships, a total of $79,765, to teens ages 14-18. Each student received a full tuition wilderness course scholarships for a 14-22 day course and a pair of hiking or mountaineering boots as part of the Pinnacle Scholarship Program, established in the Northwest in 1992.
- Outward Bound’s partnership with Summer Search continues to be a strong component of this program, with scholarships awarded to 13 Summer Search students in the Northwest. Summer Search is a leadership development program that helps low-income young people graduate high school, go to college, gain successful careers, and give back to society and subsidizes half of the course cost for their students, allowing us to allocate scholarship funds to additional Pinnacle Scholars.
- Pinnacle scholars commit to completing 40 hours of service after their course. Thus, the program has a ripple effect in the communities which Pinnacle Scholars return to.
Click here to read Kaylee’s full thank you letter
Need-Based Scholarships
- The School also awards partial need-based scholarships to students who exhibit financial need and are not able to afford the full cost of course tuition. Partial need-based scholarships were awarded to 26 individuals totaling $39,147 which provided opportunities for more underprivileged youth to participate in challenging and life-changing Outward Bound wilderness experiences.
Click Here to read Mauricio’s and three more student’s thank you letters
Veterans Program
- Outward Bound for Veterans provides full tuition scholarships to returning service members and recent veterans to help them readjust to life at home through powerful wilderness courses that draw on the healing benefit of teamwork and challenge through use of the natural world. Northwest Outward Bound School had the privilege of serving 60 veterans on wilderness courses in Washington and Oregon in 2016.