Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School

Who are we?

Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School (CSIOBS) is in the heart of the Boston Harbor Islands. With a 200-year legacy of serving children in Boston, a 48-year partnership with the Boston Public Schools (BPS), and a 30-year affiliation with Outward Bound USA, the Island is a beacon for experiential education, empowering young people through hands-on learning and skill-building and outdoor adventure and exploration. We are a proud member of the network of 9 Outward Bound schools in the U.S., with a shared mission to change lives through challenge and discovery.

Education is at the forefront of our work. Funded by a combination of philanthropy and a robust private events business, our outdoor educational programs are free to families from low-income communities.

What is our Vision for Impact

CSIOBS seeks to provide programming to reach historically marginalized, underserved, and excluded communities within the Boston Public School District (as a starting point), with future expansion into surrounding school districts. Using Cathleen Stone Island as an outdoor living classroom, CSIOBS provides social-emotional skill building, experiential, hands-on learning, science and climate curriculum, and workforce readiness, using the Outward Bound tenets. Through a set of programs that start in the 7th grade and end at a high school graduation, CSIOBS is developing future community leaders and changemakers in metro Boston.

Whom do we serve (students, clients, customers)

We offer programs for Boston Public School middle and high school students. Support from our education programs includes fee-for-service programs and professional leadership development programs. We also fund our transformational programs by hosting private and corporate events and weddings.