“Get outside!” “Go explore!”
As kids, hearing these phrases from our dad used to make us groan and roll our eyes as they cut through the haze of whatever video game or TV show was currently engrossing us.
We felt frustrated; the idea of leaving our screens behind to wander around outdoors seemed pointless, even boring.
We’d drag our feet to the door, step out into the sunlight, and wonder what exactly our dad thought we’d find out there.
But as we grew older, something changed, and we began to understand.
We discovered the rejuvenating power of fresh air. We learned to let curiosity guide our steps. We found joy in simply being present in nature.
That gradual shift in perspective forms the foundation of our gap year. We’re prioritizing exploration, new experiences, and living in the moment — all crucial elements in developing the skills and mindset needed for effective service and leadership.
Why NOLS? Trails, Tribulations, and Transformations
When a friend recommended the National Outdoor Leadership Service (NOLS), it immediately resonated with our gap year goals. Here’s what drew us to take this challenging 40-day Himalayan expedition:
- Leadership Development: We learned outdoor skills and group dynamics
- Physical Challenge: We hiked 75 miles through the Kumaon region
- Cultural Immersion: We walked ancient trade routes and visited centuries-old communities
- Personal Growth: We pushed far beyond our comfort zones
- Team Building: We collaborated with 10-15 diverse individuals
Breaking Free from Routines
This journey wasn’t just about escaping screens – it was about breaking free from ingrained habits and routines. We took it as an opportunity to:
- Reflect on our past, ground ourselves in the present, and envision our future
- Reassess what we take for granted
- Shed unhelpful habits
- Gain a new appreciation for the world around us
Question: What habits or routines do you think hold you back from personal growth?
Wisdom from the Summit: Outward-Facing Growth
While the idea of self-reflection in the mountains was a big part of what excited us about this trip, our gap year journey is equally about expanding our worldview. The Himalayas offer more than breathtaking vistas — they’re home to vibrant communities with rich histories and cultures.
Learning Through Cultural Exchange
This trip exposed us to a world that couldn’t be further from the one we grew up in.
We were able to:
- Experience a radically different way of life
- Learn about community, service, and connection in a new context
- Observe how Himalayan communities support each other and strangers
- Understand different definitions of success and fulfillment
- See what service looks like outside the philanthropically-minded United States
All of this reshaped our views and actions going forward.
Nature and Community: A New Perspective
In particular, we loved interested learning about how people’s relationship with awe-inspiring nature changes in different contexts. Growing up in New York City, our relationship with nature has been limited, something we took for granted and thought of as separate from our daily lives.
In the Himalayas, we witnessed how:
- Land is central to the economy, culture, and identity
- Communities live in harmony with their environment
- These lessons might apply to urban environments back home
This aligns perfectly with Service Academy’s mission to develop young leaders who understand diverse perspectives and can create innovative solutions to complex problems.
Learning Through Our Fellow Adventurers
Beyond the physical setting and local communities, we relished connecting with our fellow NOLS participants — a group of adventurous peers from around the world who share our appetite for challenge and growth. Like us, they chose to step far outside their comfort zones, committing 40 days to push their limits in one of the world’s most demanding environments.
This shared commitment created an instant bond. When you’re relying on each other while navigating high-altitude trails or setting up camp in unfamiliar terrain, you quickly develop deep trust and understanding. Each member of our group brought their own perspectives and experiences, but we were united by:
- A willingness to embrace discomfort for the sake of growth
- An emphasis on safety and responsible risk-taking
- A desire to develop leadership skills in challenging conditions
- A commitment to supporting fellow team members
- A passion for learning through direct experience
The relationships forged through shared challenges and triumphs in the mountains often last a lifetime. We were thrilled to learn from our teammates’ diverse backgrounds and motivations and discover how this collective experience shapes us as leaders and changemakers.
Looking Back: Challenges, Growth, and Discoveries
Our gap year takes an interesting turn as we train to become ski instructors in the Swiss Alps. This role In reflecting on our NOLS expedition, we can say with certainty that it was the perfect addition to our gap year. The experience exceeded our expectations in ways we never could have imagined, challenging us physically and mentally while transforming our perspectives on leadership, community, and purpose.
From navigating high-altitude trails to adapting to life without modern conveniences, each day brought new tests of our resilience. The physical demands pushed us to our limits, but it was the mental challenges that truly transformed us. Learning to be present in the moment, to find joy in discomfort, and to rely on our teammates taught us lessons we’ll carry forward throughout our gap year and beyond.
The relationships we built with our fellow trekkers proved to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the journey. Living and working together in demanding conditions, we formed deep bonds that transcended our diverse backgrounds. Each person brought unique perspectives and experiences that enriched our understanding of leadership and community.
Our time in the Himalayas reinforced Service Academy’s core mission by:
- Teaching us firsthand about leadership in challenging environments
- Deepening our appreciation for cross-cultural understanding and empathy
- Providing space for meaningful reflection on our values and goals
- Giving us practical experience in teamwork and creative problem-solving
Perhaps most importantly, this expedition showed us the power of stepping completely away from the familiar. Without the usual pressures and distractions of daily life, we gained clarity about who we are and who we want to become. The insights we gathered from this experience will directly inform how we approach youth service and leadership development through Service Academy.
Looking ahead to the rest of our gap year, we feel more prepared than ever to embrace new challenges and perspectives. The NOLS expedition set a powerful tone for our year of exploration and growth, reminding us that the most meaningful discoveries often lie far outside our comfort zones.
Question: How do you think experiences like this NOLS expedition can shape young leaders and innovators?
Throughout our gap year journey, we aim to challenge our assumptions, broaden our perspectives, and gather insights that will help us enhance youth service opportunities back home. Our hope is that by sharing our experiences, we can contribute to a broader dialogue about service, community engagement, and cross-cultural learning. We invite you to follow along with our journey, engage with our reflections, and share your own insights about creating more meaningful and impactful youth service ecosystems that benefit both young people and their communities in diverse contexts.
Thank you for your continued support as we continue this transformative adventure. Here’s to a year of growth, discovery, and reimagining what youth service can be!
Ryan & Thomas
About Our Gap Year Journey
We’re Ryan and Thomas Growney, twin brothers and co-founders of Service Academy.
After graduating from St. George’s School in Rhode Island, we’ve embarked on a gap year to explore how different cultures approach problem understanding, community engagement, service, and social innovation.
Our journey will take us to various countries, including South Africa, where we’ll participate in the Tilting Futures program, and the Himalayas, where we’ll be joining the NOLS for a high-altitude mountaineering challenge. Throughout this year, we aim to challenge our assumptions, broaden our perspectives, and gather insights that will help us enhance our approach to social impact back home.
Ryan is particularly interested in scaling service initiatives to develop young leaders, while Thomas focuses on the personal connections and community belonging that service creates. By sharing our experiences, we hope to contribute to a broader dialogue about service, mentorship, community engagement, and cross-cultural learning.
We invite you to follow along with our journey, engage with our reflections, and share your own insights about service in diverse contexts.
Together, we can work towards creating more meaningful and impactful youth service ecosystems that benefit both young people and their communities.