Leadership Semester

The Leadership Semester course is a professional investment as well as a personal one. Whether you’re hoping to simply build on your current interests or prepare for a career in the outdoors industry, the Leadership course will put you in a position to excel. Through 65 days of intense Outward Bound teamwork, adventure, and technical outdoor training, you will have the opportunity to earn up to seven outdoor leadership certifications and the chance to be selected for a paid internship with Costa Rica Outward Bound.

The 65-day Leadership Semester course is designed for people interested in gaining outdoor leadership experience or considering a career as an outdoor professional. Upon course completion, you have an opportunity to apply for a paid internship with Costa Rica Outward Bound. The integration of an internship program into the course demonstrates Costa Rica Outward Bound’s commitment to ensuring you graduate as a promising coutdoor industry professional. The Leadership Semester has opened doors for countless students.

Course activities are divided into phases centered around certifications and/or specific actititives.

Training phases include:
phases may take place in any order

Wilderness Medicine Phase

Goal is to prepare participants to recognize and deal with medical and traumatic injuries in a wilderness setting.

• American Red Cross/US DOT standard curriculum for First Responders
• Additional curriculum focusing on wilderness settings with practical scenarios
• American Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer with oxygen administration

This phase prepares you to recognize and successfully manage medical emergencies and traumatic injuries in a wilderness setting. Our focus is on the Costa Rican wilderness, but protocols are universal.

Whitewater Phase

Goal is to prepare participants to be able to guide a 14-15 foot raft with paddling clients on class II or III whitewater rivers in Costa Rica or abroad.

• Whitewater Rescue Technician certification course through Rescue 3 International
• Raft captain training with the chance to certify as a Raft Guide Level I-II or III with the International Rafting Federation
• Focus on mountain style tropical rivers including the Pacuare (listed in the top 10 rafting rivers in the world)

Veteran river guides will equip you to manage whitewater emergencies and captain a six person raft through class I, II, & III rapids. Certifications will test: river reading, paddle navigation, safety training and total hours on the river. You will also likely have the opportunity to guide local high school students down the river as a final assessment.

Land Expedition Phase

Goal is to prepare participants with hard and soft skills to successfully lead multi-day backpacking expeditions.

• Multi-day backpacking expedition with camp craft leadership
• Expedition planning and execution
• Instructor Judgment Training
• Working with adolescents training
• Working with participants using psychotropic medication training
• Village homestays and facilitating intercultural exchange
• Costa Rican natural & cultural history for guides
• Soft skills training/group dynamics

During a multi-day rainforest trek, you will have the unique opportunity to experience several homestays with families living in a remote village of Costa Rica. You can participate in the families’ daily activities, such as milking cows, making cheese, grinding sugarcane or harvesting beans. You will rappel down a 60ft waterfall and learn how to safely set up each belay system. Throughout the phase, you will focus on technical skills, attention to safety, group dynamics, and encouraging teamwork and personal growth through adventure activities.

Waterfront Lifeguard & Surf Instruction Phase

Goal is to prepare participants to safely assess swimming areas and oversee aquatic activities for groups on lakes, oceans and rivers. Secondary goal is to prepare participants–regardless of prior surfing experience–to teach the basics of surfing.

• Full Waterfront Lifeguard certification course with the American Red Cross
• Rescues using surf equipment in open ocean setting
• Additional information about beach activities and ways to keep students safe, active and engaged when not surfing
• Focus on safety information including managing currents, avoiding rips, etc.
• Curriculum on surfing basics including reading waves, techniques, types of boards and equipment, etiquette, etc.

You will spend time in both an enclosed pool and the open ocean to ensure all safety skills and techniques are clearly demonstrated and tested in real world conditions. Phase includes several days learning and practicing surfing and instruction techniques along the Costa Rica Pacific coast.

Technical Ropes Phase

Goal is to prepare students to be able to manage various activities including rappels, climbing walls, rock climbing, and rescues involving ropes systems.

• Rescue 3 International Technical Rope Rescue Operations level course
• Safety systems for expeditioning, rappelling, canyoning, climbing and rescue

Scuba Phase

Goal is for students to learn the basic skills and information necessary to participate in scuba activities with the guidance of a dive master.

• NAUI Scuba Diver certification course
• Focus on technical theory, oceanography as well as meditative and holistic approaches to the underwater world

You will travel overland from Sixaola to Almirante and then by boat to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Perched on the tip of Isla Colón, Bocas has a population of 3,500 and claims to be the only “wooden town” in Panama, constructed almost exclusively of lumber, with a distinctive colonial architectural style.

Outside of the professional development aspects of this course, the Leadership Semester teaches practical, valuable skills, introduces students to another culture and aids in personal development. Costa Rica Outward Bound inspires character growth and self-discovery in order to make the world a better place.

Student Profile:

• Male & Female, ages 17+
• Typical age range: 18-24
• Average group size: 12
• Commitment to the shared group experience
• Ability to approach leadership, adventure and group activities with maturity
• Interest in pursuing a career in the outdoor industry recommended

Requirements:

This course is open to males and females, ages 17 and older. Students must be proficient (reading and listening comprehension) in English; Spanish language skills useful. No prior outdoor industry experience is required. If seeking academic credit, students must make all necessary arrangements to secure credits prior to arrival.

Accommodations and Equipment:

Costa Rica Outward Bound provides all meals, safety gear, surfboards, and camping and hiking equipment (including backpacks). Students will be provided a detailed packing list for clothing, toiletries and personal gear. All students are asked to bring personal spending money, as souvenirs and incidental expenses are the responsibility of the student. Please see the packing list for information regarding items not allowed on course.

Students will be camping or staying as a group in family homestays or student dorms (bedding provided).

Internship Program:

After successfully completing the Leadership Semester course, students may apply for 80-day paid internships. Participation in the Leadership Semester does not guarantee acceptance into the internship program. Internships are not transferrable to other Outward Bound schools and availability/selection is dependent upon staffing needs. Interns may apply for full-time positions as Costa Rica Outward Bound instructors after the completion of the 80-day internship.

Academic Credit:

Leadership Semester students are eligible to receive up to 10 academic credits through Western State College of Colorado. Making arrangements for academic credit is the responsibility of the student and must be done prior to course start date. For more information see our Academic Credit page.

Certifications:

Our instructors will aid students in every way possible to earn the certifications included in their course, but successful completion of all required practical skills tests and written exams are the responsibility of each student. Costa Rica Outward Bound cannot guarantee that all students will receive any/all certifications included in this course.

Transportation:

Airfare to and from San Jose, Costa Rica is not included in course tuition. All international travelers are required to pay a US$28 exit tax prior to departure; this is the responsibility of the student.

All students are met at the airport by Costa Rica Outward Bound and transported to our main base facility outside of San Jose. Costa Rica Outward Bound provides all transportation throughout the duration of the course, including transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport on the final day of course. Airport regulations do not allow us to accompany students into the airport unless they travel as an Unaccompanied Minor (a paid service provided by each airline).

Safety:

Because safety is paramount, all itineraries may change on account of weather and water conditions. All of our instructors have internationally recognized safety certifications relevant to their specialties. A minimum of two instructors accompany groups at all times.

To reserve a place on course, complete the following two steps:

1. Complete the course’s Enrollment Form.

2. Submit a $500 USD deposit towards the full course tuition. Deposits can be paid with a Visa credit card, wire transfer or by personal check. Please see our Payment Information page for more details.

For questions, please see our Enrollment Process page or Contact us at any time.