Program Reviews

My experience as an intern with STRIVE in Peru this summer was one that I will never forget. Going into the program I was not sure what to expect, but whatever expectations I had were far surpassed. The three tenets of the program - service, athletics, and adventure - each served as opportunities to grow and learn with the people around me. Being surrounded with people from different backgrounds but with common interests and values made each day unique. My favorite experience from this summer was cooking dinner each night with the other interns and staff - it was a time to reflect on the day, try our hand at Peruvian bargaining, and form strong bonds. The trek at the end of the trip was an amazing way to culminate the experience and allowed me to get to know some of the high schoolers better - there is no better way to get to know someone than walk 20 miles per day with them! I would recommend this program to any athlete who is interested in traveling, running, service, and a holistic experience.

My 14yo son participating in the Strive Kenya trip the summer before his freshman year in high school. It was a truly amazing experience that forever changed him. Not only did he become a much better runner (he made the varsity cross country team when he returned), but he grew as a person. I almost didn't recognize him when he got off the plane. He felt older and more mature, and he had a new-found confidence in his ability to accomplish challenging tasks. He loved his leaders, and they took great care of him. He also loved the volunteer experiences. Working with little kids at the school and the children's hospital were some of his favorite moments of the trip. And getting to meet Eliud Kipchoge and other world-class runners and coaches was an incredible opportunity for him. He was inspired by everyone he met there. I can't recommend this trip enough. It was life-changing!

I loved the unique service opportunities we had the chance to participate in, since I would not have been able to do the same service in Boston. I also liked how we always had the choice to push ourselves to work hard, whether it was choosing to run longer or deciding to continue hiking, even when the destination seemed impossible. Overall, I loved experiencing so many new adventures and learning how hard I'm actually capable of pushing myself.

Hiking Machu Picchu was one of the most difficult adventures I have ever experienced. However, given the chance, I would not have changed my mind about doing the trek. Although it was hard, it was incredibly fun to spend five days hiking in two unique environments. From snow capped mountains to the humid jungle, I learned more about what it is to persevere.

Strive gives high schoolers a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience travel, athletics, and service. The leaders are phenomenal, and my experiences with other students were always fantastic. Students get to experience all sorts of activities, including teaching, training, learning about service, meeting the locals, and exploring the area. In my experience, teaching and training were two of the more rewarding parts of the trip. While I had fun giving lessons in math and English, the kids undoubtedly taught me more than I could possible teach them. As far as training goes, the altitude is tough, but the feeling of finishing a workout is unbeatable. As a side note, be sure to talk to the locals and listen to their stories (it’s always fascinating to hear about their life). I spent two summers with Strive, and would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Strive trips Kenya was an incredible opportunity to explore a country without being touristy, while doing meaningful work in the community. Iten is an optimal spot for runners and other athletes to train and get authentic advice from world champions. As a participant, you're given the independence to explore, without ever feeling unsafe, and options to tailor the experience to what you and your groupmates want to do. One highlight for me was the interactions and relationships I got to build, both with the community and the other travelers. I was able to make connections with people who live halfway across the world, and to Iten itself. The three weeks you're there allow you to fully immerse yourself, and in a short amount of time you may see Iten as a home away from home. Overall, could not recommend Strive enough!

I went on STRIVE's trip to Peru in the summer of 2017, and I had an exceptionally energizing, memorable, and fulfilling experience. As a rising junior in high school at the time, I was a bit tentative preparing for my trip to Peru, as there were so many question marks surrounding what my three weeks there would be like. Would I make friends with the other kids on the trip? Would I enjoy the service and cultural activities? Would I survive running at altitude?? ;) To my delight, I quickly discovered upon my arrival that essentially every aspect of the trip I was nervous about were actually the very ones that would end up being most fulfilling to me. The running opportunities were so well designed to fit the desires/ambitions of everyone on the trip, carefully enabling us to do as much activity as we desired in such a high altitude region. The service experiences were diverse, well thought out, and intentionally selected/designed (everything from putting up fencing at an animal shelter to working on Incan ruins!). And of course, I met the nicest, most energetic, and most lovable friends along the way. :)

I could go on and on about the magnitude, variety, and quality of the experiences I had with STRIVE, but I want to most importantly point out that the reason I had such an overwhelmingly positive and meaningful trip was because of the leaders of the program, Tyler and Nic. Spending several weeks without anyone you know in an entirely different part of the world is kind of a big thing to do as a high schooler. Both program directors are such genuinely caring, sincere, passionate, and down to earth people. I really feel as though their philosophy about the program set the groundwork onto which every other component of the trip could kind of fall into place. They know how to keep things fun (soo fun!), and they also know how to guide everyone towards appreciating what matters most. You can trust that over the course of the trip the STRIVE directors will guide you through not only an amazing series of once in a lifetime experiences and memories, but also guide you *towards* a fuller, richer version of yourself.

I truly feel as though I returned from Peru in 2017 feeling more fulfilled than ever -- as a runner, as a citizen of the world, and as a gal looking to have a blast during her summer vacation. I know that my experiences from STRIVE will always be etched into my memory as a fabulous part of my high school years!

Because I used to get bored easily, I sought after the unfamiliar and uncertain by trying new activities. Taking a break from my predictable prep school life, last summer I signed up for STRIVE, a running and service program in Iten, Kenya, a small town hang 8,000 feet above sea level at the edge of the Great Rift Valley.

Through training, I learnt to pay attention to the muscles at work and take conscious control of every single movement. In addition, I embraced other aspects of the program. While teaching, I embellished the material with humor and closely observed each student’s learning style to provide better assistance. During downtime, I stayed offline and engaged in thought-provoking conversations with runners from a myriad of backgrounds. From these experiences, I realized that I had kept myself from making mundane moments enjoyable.

By the time I departed from Iten, I had lost twenty pounds in weight, two minutes in 5K personal records. The moment when we started singing Circle of Life upon spotting the sunrise on Masai Mara will live in my dream forever. Sometime during college, I would love to run along the Great Rift Valley, learn from the amazing athletes, and bond with the local students again.

Strive Trips Peru was an amazing experience! The running was a blast and I came back from Peru more inspired and motivated than ever! The high altitude training really helped in the coming cross country season where I PR'd by over a minute! However, the best part of Peru was the people. I met lifelong friends who shared similar interest and were just as adventurous! Pisac, Peru was beautiful and the hostel we stayed in was perfect for everything we needed! The hostel had a great grassy area with a gazebo that was perfect for late night talks and exploring as many kinds of Peruvian Candy as possible! The staff was great and all of the interns were equally amazing! Overall, Peru was the highlight of the summer and will forever stick out in my memories as one of my favorite experiences!

I participated in STRIVE Peru in 2017 and it was probably the most exciting and rewarding experience of my life thus far. In addition to meeting incredible people (students, interns, leaders) who shared my passions while also bringing completely unique things to the program, I learned so much about myself and significantly broadened my world-view. In Peru, every day was different as we ran through the mountains, tutored english for the local children, shopped in Cusco, played games at our hostel, tried new foods (like guinea pig!), worked at conservations or animal sanctuaries, or made new Peruvian friends. I also participated in the Spanish immersion week before the main part of the trip, during which I took daily Spanish classes, explored the small mountain town, and lived with a host family. The last few days of the trip (the trek to Machu Picchu) were an incredible way to wrap up the unbelievable month I'd just spent falling in love with the country and people I was surrounded by. If you are at all considering taking part in STRIVE Peru (or Kenya!) I STRONGLY encourage you to do so. You will gain so much more than you can possibly expect and probably have the most fun and eye-opening month of your life.