Last spring, I received one of those phone calls that I assumed couldn’t be real.
The voice on the other end introduced themselves as being from All Access with Andy Garcia, explaining they were interested in doing a nationally televised piece on Wilderness Adventures, specifically our long-standing commitment to helping kids unplug from their devices during the summer months.
I’ll be honest: I was skeptical.
But after doing some homework, it became clear this was the real deal. All Access with Andy Garcia is produced by a respected storytelling company known for highlighting human-interest stories with depth and heart. Even more meaningful, we learned they had found us through one of our own alumni—someone connected to the production team who believed our story was worth telling. From there, the ball started rolling.
Over the course of the summer and fall, we worked closely with their team to share what Wilderness Adventures is really about. Not just epic landscapes or big adventures, but the intentional choice to create device-free spaces where young people can grow, struggle, laugh, lead, and form real human connections. In a world that is louder and more digital by the day, we believe that disconnection from screens creates reconnection to self, to others, and to the natural world.
That preparation eventually led to a memorable trip for Catherine and me to their production studios in Florida. The experience itself was impressive and, at times, downright entertaining—from professional hair and makeup (a first for both of us), to the green room, to a carefully crafted script, to the directors, writers, and producers who clearly cared about getting the story right. It was polished, thoughtful, and deeply professional.
What this story doesn’t fully capture (though it sits just beneath the surface) is how challenging it has become to hold this line. The future is not simple for programs like ours that insist on truly disconnected experiences. Some of our peers now allow phones so students can post photos in real time and tag the company. Some parents understandably struggle with the idea of weeks without constant communication with their child.
We feel that pressure. We hear those concerns.
And still, we hold the line.
Because we see what happens when kids are given space to be on their own, to navigate friendships, to problem-solve, to sit with discomfort, and to discover confidence they didn’t know they had. And perhaps most telling of all: 100% of our student participants ask us to keep it this way. They tell us, without hesitation, that the freedom from devices is one of the most meaningful parts of their experience.
While the experience of being on All Access with Andy Garcia has been a wonderful adventure in its own right, what matters most is the opportunity it creates. This platform allows us to share a bigger message: that programs like Wilderness Adventures still matter. That kids need time away from devices. That community, challenge, and face-to-face connection are not luxuries, they’re essential to healthy development.
We’re grateful to All Access with Andy Garcia, to our alumni community, and to everyone who has believed in this mission over the years.
If you believe, as we do, that young people need time to unplug in order to truly grow, we invite you to help us share this story. Talk about it. Forward it. Stand with the programs that are choosing depth over convenience and long-term growth over short-term ease.
