A Young Man's Journey of Growth with Bolder Options

I participated in the one-to-one mentoring program and that year was a coming of age story but Bolder Options was much more than having one mentor. After I graduated from the one-to-one mentoring program, I joined the Bolder Options Alumni Program and did the I Believe, I Achieve career readiness program and in the Adventure Programming where I went on BWCA trips for four years, five trips in total. In 2023, I interned with Bolder Options for a year helping plan the BWCA trips for other youth. Through my experience with Bolder Options I have attended the annual gala and spoken about my experience in Board Meetings.

Before I got a mentor the only people I really talked to one-on-one were my mom and my brother. They are family, and I love them, but talking to family is different from talking to a friend. At that time, my mentor was one of my only friends. When I spoke with him, it felt easier to say what I really wanted to say. There were things I just didn’t want to talk about with my family. 

You know, when you’re a kid, you don’t always want to share everything with your mom! That’s just how it is. My mentor was an outlet for me. He was like a safe place for me, and that made me want to keep going with the program. He was my rock, and I really appreciated having him around. It felt good to have someone outside of my family to talk to. 

"You know, when you’re a kid, you don’t always want to share everything with your mom!"

After I graduated from having a mentor for one year I joined the Alumni Program and signed up for the I Believe, I Achieve Program. When I started I was skeptical about jobs. I thought there were only a few kinds of work that I could do, like at grocery store, a fast food restaurant, or a gas station. Those seemed like the only options. In my mind, "real" jobs were for serious people in suits carrying briefcases. I believed that was what working looked like because that’s what I saw on TV and in movies.

The I Believe, I Achieve Program teaches with Career and College readiness for youth who have completed one full year of mentoring.

Then, I joined a program that changed everything! At first, I thought my experience would just be filled with more serious people in suits. But I learned that jobs could be much more exciting and different than I expected. It gave me a different perspective. 

We also learned a lot about money and finances. Before I started, I thought finances only happened at a bank, but I found out it’s more than that! I learned about how people manage money in all kinds of ways. This opened my eyes to a whole new side of what it means to work and earn a living.

The biggest lesson I gained from the I Believe, I Achieve program was learning to see things from different perspectives. This new way of thinking made a huge difference in my life! Now, whenever I think about jobs or money, I remember that there’s always more to it.

When I went on the Boundary Waters trip, it was the first time I was away from home for more than two days. I was feeling a little nervous because I had never spent that long away, but I was also excited! At that time, I still felt like I really needed my parents around to help me. This trip was my first real chance to be independent. I wasn’t completely alone, I was with a small group of people. Some of them I knew, and some were new to me. But being out there made me think about myself in a different light.

During the trip, we did a lot of canoeing, portaging and taking down and putting up camp. There were challenges each day, and I had never been through anything like that before. It was hard work, but by the end of it, I felt different—like something had changed inside me. It's hard to explain, but it felt like I had grown up a little. I realized that I could handle things on my own!

With every challenge we faced I became more confident. I started to see how important the people around me were too. Their support made a difference. I felt like I could take on anything after that experience!

Before this trip, I struggled with school. I often felt anxious, especially with everything going on during the lockdown and COVID. But when I was in the Boundary Waters, all those worries seemed to wash away. The beautiful nature around me helped me feel calm, and it was an incredible feeling. It felt like all my problems were so small compared to the amazing scenery of the Boundary Waters. I grew up in the city, and while Minneapolis has some nice parks, it doesn’t have anything like the Boundary Waters. 

After the trip, I started to appreciate nature even more. I realized that the Boundary Waters is a special place that deserves protection. It’s like a big community with animals, plants, and people. Keeping it safe helps everyone—both the people who live nearby and the visitors who enjoy its beauty. When I think of the Boundary Waters being protected, it feels almost spiritual. We all look out for each other, and that's important.

I just found out that I was accepted to go to Washington DC in with Friends of the Boundary Waters this November to advocate for protection of the Boundary Waters. We will get training and meet with your representatives and government officials to share the importance of the Boundary Waters and natural spaces.

"The Boundary Waters trip opened my eyes to many opportunities I never knew I had. It showed me that I could be brave and take on new challenges. I feel stronger and ready to face whatever comes next!"

You know, through Bolder Options  I got the chance to run a 5K, and I never thought I would ever do something like that! I mean, as a person of color living in Minneapolis, running a 5K just didn’t seem like something for me. It just wasn’t something I ever thought I could do. And the same goes for the Boundary Waters. Camping was never something I did growing up. My family usually just drove to a small campground with other people nearby, which is very different from what I experienced there! 

Public speaking was also something I didn't think I could do. I had a pretty complicated family history, which made me feel like I couldn't do a lot of things. I think that closed my perspective off a little bit—well, actually, a lot. But with the opportunities I had through Bolder Options, I was able to try things I never thought were possible. These experiences helped me see that I can do so much more than I ever imagined!