KIDS TODAY NEED GOALS,
AND WILD PLACES NEED GOALS KIDS.
BEING A KID TODAY ISN’T EASY.
We are living in an age of great technological innovation. While these advancements offer many benefits to society at large, today’s kids are growing up as subjects in a experiment about digital influences - navigating an unchartered social-emotional landscape built upon electronic “connections” that are not as rewarding as those humans crave.
Countless magazine articles, blog posts, and medical journals point out that today’s teens experience more stress, anxiety, and depression than any prior generation. When overlooked, this leads to alarming trends - increases in self-inflicted injuries, opioid drug use and suicides. At GOALS, we believe these stem from a growing sense of hopelessness that today’s kids feel as a result of being socially isolated.
By linking the data of adolescent mental health with the power of confidence-building and connection-generating wilderness expeditions, GOALS is creating a new norm for today’s youth.
it doesn’t have to be this way.
GOALS expeditions transform stress into calm,
anxiety into confidence, & depression into connections.
When KIDS WERE ASKED if they felt changed by their GOALS EXPERIENCE…
“The trip was like a brain reset, and it was very much needed. These past few days were the happiest I’ve ever had.”
“I feel like I have the freedom and confidence to be my true self without having to hide behind a facade or or try and tone down the things that make me who I am.
I love GOALS. It’s the one thing I look forward to every year because of how much it continues to change my life and make me a better person.”
“First, I feel more connected to the environment. I won’t use tons of lights and other energy that I don’t need. I know that this energy can come from water and make people dam up rivers, just for energy. Second, I feel more confident in myself. On this trip, others trusted me and believed in me. The guides said that if they trusted you in a ducky, you could go through the big rapids.
I was allowed to go on the ducky through class 3 rapids, and that gave me lots of self-confidence.”
“I feel more vibrant. I am the happiest, kindest, less stressed version of myself while on the river and I can’t wait to come back next year.”
PARENTS ASKED in post-expedition surveys to complete the sentence, “BECAUSE OF GOALS, MY CHILD _____” REPLIED WITH:
“is happier - more relaxed, and intentionally less absorbed with technology. GOALS helped her find peace after a really difficult year.”
“is glowing, and has a new sense of what is possible in terms of adventure, relationships, and personal independence.”
“is already making plans for future river trips!”