Our graduates tell us that their year at Walkabout helped prepare them for the multitude of challenges they encountered while in college, and beyond.

Laura Glasgott Ossining High School

Laura is a theater major at Emerson College, in Boston, MA.

Since coming to college, not a day has gone by where I have not used the skills that I learned at Walkabout. Most importantly, Walkabout encouraged me to take risks and make the results into something that I could use. I had many apprehensions about pursuing theater in college as my major, but Walkabout taught me the importance of passion and love for what I invest my time in, and thus I was able to feel confident about taking that risk. Since making that decision, I have been able to spend each day (and each dollar) at school in a way that has given me the desire to work hard and given me the confidence to pursue other adventurous endeavors in my future.

The English 12/creative writing class at Walkabout helped me harness a love for writing, and as a freshman, some of my literary work from my year at Walkabout has been printed in a prestigious on-campus publication. This has encouraged me to become involved with literary workshops not only affiliated with Emerson, but in the Boston area.

"The English 12/creative writing class at Walkabout helped me harness a love for writing."

Jon Berger Horace Greeley High School

I would never have enjoyed the successes at Vassar without the grounding from Walkabout. Walkabout contributed towards my growth in every way imaginable. Everything I do is rooted in the can-do principle I learned at Walkabout. The program gave me a firm belief that the world can change if I take the responsibility to do the changing. That's not something I could be taught in a classroom--it came, slowly at first and then all at once, in a moment of insight, over the course of an intense and emotional year spent learning how to live.

"The program gave me a firm belief that the world can change if I take the responsibility to do the changing."

Alicia Perusse Briarcliff High School

Alicia is a Communications/Education major at Juniata College.

I learned assertiveness and how to work with professional adults during my career internship and community service project, which has helped me in college. The references from my project mentors had a positive impact on my college applications.

I felt I was making constant progress. Environmental science challenged me, especially the science research project. I had so much to do, I thought the project would never come together and I remember how hard I worked. I felt great when my teacher said my class presentation was on a professional level. I never felt such a drive to get out in the world before. Walkabout made me think, "Let me out there, I'm ready!"

"Walkabout made me think, 'Let me out there, I'm ready!'"