adventure. your next lesson plan.

Hurricane Island Outward Bound School customizes programs to support a school's curriculum and vision for developing not just better students, but principled, innovative, spirited individuals who will show tenacity in the face of life's inevitable challenges.  

We have a rich history of service to Educational Partners—schools, colleges, and community groups—to create programs that enrich the learning process through experience and participation. Our programs are tailored to target specific objectives and developmental needs. Educational institutions choose HIOBS because we offer the expertise of the largest, oldest, most respected provider of outdoor education and experiential learning in the world. We take pride in our education programs with an emphasis on character, craftsmanship, leadership and teamwork.

Course Teachings

We work with our Educational Partners to create a customized program that can include a combination of the following elements. Backcountry expeditions run anywhere from 5 to 30 days. Typically, the courses run over winter, spring, and summer breaks. 

Leadership and Teamwork

Demonstrating the ability to set goals, inspire and guide others to achieve them; demonstrating the ability to collaborate, communicate, solve problems and resolve conflicts effectively.

Character and Personal Growth

Demonstrating an increase in self-knowledge and awareness; perseverance, courage, and confidence; self-reliance, initiative and responsibility. Craftsmanship and pride; physical and emotional fitness and the ability to embrace differences.

Character matters. It matters in school, at home and in our communities. As educators, we see elements of character in our students every day. In some cases, what we see are strengths that will allow a young person to seize opportunities or rebound from lapses of judgment. In other instances, we see when elements are missing. Or when “poor character” emerges: academic dishonestly, poor sportsmanship. Too often we default into prioritizing academic learning, allowing matters of character to fall by the wayside. Character education is rooted in the basics of behavioral change. Unlike a person’s personality, which is internally rooted or psychologically based, behaviors are externally rooted and can be seen, heard, and felt. Behavior change can also be coached or taught by understanding that most times behaviors are prompted by activities, events and environment established ahead of the behavior (antecedents) and reinforced by what happened after the behavior occurs (consequences).

Service and Compassion

HIOBS defines Service/Compassion as: Demonstrating an increased awareness of social and environmental issues; as well as unconditional support for the welfare of others and the responsibility to care for the environment. Plus a service ethic to actively engage in service to others.

Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, identified the service ethic as the most effective means of fostering compassion for others. He claimed that the ethic of service was “capable of releasing the highest dynamics of the human soul . . . “ 

Course Locations

A critical component of our courses is an unfamiliar environment, which the wilderness provides. We offer a variety of stunning backcountry locations for your program.

Land Programs

Maine's mountains, lakes, and rivers provide endless options for teaching environments as you utilize Maine's Androscoggin Watershed, Maine Mountains, Maine Northwoods, and Maine Rangeley Lakes for backpacking, canoeing, and rock climbing.

Sea Programs

The Maine Coast is the setting for our Northeast sailing and rock-climbing programs. From our base camp in Wheeler Bay, our cruising area covers nearly 200 linear miles of the Maine coast, with countless rivers, bays, and islands to explore.

The Florida Keys

Big Pine Key, FL is the home of our Florida base camp where we run winter and spring sailing courses. Home to numerous birds and abundant marine life, the region owes its productivity to the confluence of water flowing out of the Everglades into inner Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The backcountry of Florida Bay offers challenging shoal draft navigation and the opportunity to explore mangrove keys, tidal flats, and coral patch reefs.

International Course Areas

HIOBS frequently partners with Outward Bound International schools to offer a diverse selection of course locations and activities with a cultural component.