Fun, Experiential Learning and Real-World Growth Together
Steve Cornelius, CCBS Program Director
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Steve Cornelius is the Program Director at Cherokee Creek Boys School, a residential, therapeutic boarding school for boys ages 10 – 15. Steve joined CCBS in 2015 and brings decades of experience working with young people. A graduate of Toccoa Falls College with a degree in Youth Ministry, Steve spent 16 years as a youth pastor and over a decade coaching youth athletics, including volleyball. He has lived and worked with teens in both Florida and Wisconsin. At CCBS, Steve has served in multiple roles – from residential staff to floor manager – and now helps guide the daily life and experiential learning / programming that supports boys and their families in meaningful, lasting growth.
There’s something powerful that happens when you take a family out of their routine and place them into the real world – new culture, new expectations, new challenges – and just enough support to help them succeed.
Earlier this spring, a group of six CCBS families did exactly that.
They went to Italy.
Not just to sightsee …
but to grow, reconnect and learn together.
And in many ways, this is what makes a residential, therapeutic boarding school for boys like CCBS different. We don’t just teach skills in a classroom or therapy session – we take those skills into the real world, where they matter most.
More Than a Trip
A Therapeutic, Real-World Experience
At CCBS, family involvement isn’t an add-on … it’s central to the healing process.
As we share in our own blog post on family involvement and teen development:
That belief comes to life through our Family Treks and International Experiences, including our fourth Family Trip to Italy.
These trips are intentionally designed around:
- Experiential learning
- Cultural awareness
- Family connection
- Learning in the real world
- Coaching families and their sons in real time
Because let’s be honest – most families don’t struggle in a therapist’s office.
They struggle at dinner.
In airports.
On long walks.
When plans change.
That’s exactly where growth happens.
Italy … CCBS Style
Off the Beaten Path
This year’s journey to Italy (March 28 – April 3) centered in the stunning region of Umbria, with our home base at Il Bastione, an agriturismo perched above the hillside town of Spello.
From there, families explored:
- Orvieto
- Assisi
- Gubbio
- Florence
But what made this trip different wasn’t just the destinations – it was the way we experienced them. We intentionally chose:
- Smaller hill towns
- Slower-paced environments
- Authentic cultural experiences
Because for many boys – especially those navigating anxiety, ADHD, Autism / ASD or learning differences – less stimulation creates more space for connection, reflection and success.
When the Unexpected Becomes the Lesson
BOTO: Be Open To Outcome
This year, Italy had a surprise for us. Cold weather. Very cold weather. Even snow flurries.
And honestly? That became one of our greatest teachers. At CCBS, we use the phrase BOTO … Be Open To Outcome.
As BOTO, our namesake CCBS Bear (and aspiring Gondolier), teaches us … BOTO means learning to:
- Let go of rigid expectations
- Adapt in the moment
- Stay grounded when things don’t go as planned
This trip gave families daily opportunities to practice BOTO:
- Adjusting to weather
- Navigating schedule changes
- Walking farther than expected due to construction
- Trying unfamiliar foods
These are not small things for a 10- to 15-year-old boy who may already struggle with flexibility. But with coaching and support in real time, those challenges become breakthroughs.
Experiential Learning in Action
Research strongly supports what we see every day at CCBS.
A 2024 study published in Tourism Management Perspectives highlights that children’s experiential learning during family travel is shaped by environment, behavior and shared family experience. The study emphasizes that: “Informal learning … arises organically through interactions with new environments, cultures and people.”
In other words – learning doesn’t have to be forced. When done well, it happens naturally.
Another resource explains experiential learning this way: “Experiential learning … involves immersing students in direct experiences supported by reflection and critical analysis.”
That’s exactly what this trip provided. On our journey, the boys:
- Made fresh pasta by hand
- Visited a traditional olive oil processing facility
- Climbed the famous double-helix well in Orvieto / St. Patrick’s well
- Explored cathedrals, vineyards and ancient towns
And just as important … they reflected. Each family kept a travel journal, helping boys to …
- Process their experiences
- Capture meaningful moments
- Stay present
What Travel Teaches Teen Boys …
That Classrooms Can’t
For boys navigating challenges like anxiety, ADHD or autism level 1, traditional learning environments don’t always stick.
But travel? That’s different.
According to insights from ACIS Educational Travel, travel helps teens develop:
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Communication and collaboration
- Flexibility and adaptability
One expert explains: Travel helps teens “see beyond their own somewhat limited world … and examine their values from a different perspective.”
We saw this in real time. Boys who …
- Hesitated to try new foods …
became more adventurous - Struggled with change …
adapted to unexpected challenges - Felt disconnected …
began engaging more with family
The Power of Shared Family Experience
One of the most meaningful parts of the trip wasn’t a landmark.
It was dinner.
One of the most meaningful parts of the trip wasn’t a landmark.
It was dinner.
Every night, families gathered for shared, family-style meals – laughing, connecting and simply being together. This is where real change often begins.
As we share in our CCBS Family Support resources, these experiences:
- Strengthen communication
- Build empathy
- Create positive shared memories
For many families, past trips may have been stressful or difficult.
This trip offered the opportunity for a …
Positive Experience Together … Reset … New Narrative
Why Support Matters on Family Trips
Let’s be honest – family vacations can be challenging. Even more so when a child is struggling emotionally, academically or behaviorally.
Steve Cornelius and David LePere
What makes the CCBS model unique is this.
We don’t just send families out into the world.
We go with them.
Joining me on this trip were our CCBS staff: Executive Director, David LePere;
Social Studies Teacher; Larry Printz;
and Weekend Manager, Brandon King.
Steve Cornelius and Brandon King
During our Italy trip …
- Staff handled logistics (so families could be present)
- Coaches supported parents in real time
- Challenges were processed in the moment
Which allowed families to …
- Stay connected
- Navigate challenges productively
- Experience success together
Sometimes, the biggest challenge for parents is simply this …
Letting go.
Being present.
Trusting the process.
CCBS Team from Left to Right: Brandon King, Larry Printz, Friend, Steve Cornelius and David LePere
Cultural Awareness
“It’s Not Wrong … It’s Just Different”
One simple but powerful lesson from the trip:
Dinner in Italy starts at 8 pm.
Not 5:30.
And that’s okay.
Moments like this help boys develop:
- Perspective
- Flexibility
- Cultural Awareness
In a structured world, learning that different isn’t wrong – it’s just different is a powerful step toward emotional growth.
Favorite Moments …
and Why They Matter
If there’s one moment that stands out, it’s this.
Watching a boy – or a parent – experience awe.
Standing on top of the Duomo.
Looking across the Umbrian hills.
Walking ancient streets.
In those moments, something shifts.
They realize:
- The world is bigger than their struggles
- They are capable of more than they thought
- This experience belongs to them
Tips for Parents
Making Family Travel More Meaningful
You don’t have to go to Italy to create meaningful experiences.
Here are a few simple ways to bring experiential learning and connection into your own family travel:
Focus on Connection Over Perfection
Focus on Connection Over PerfectionThings WILL go wrong – that’s part of the growth.
Build in Reflection
Build in ReflectionAsk questions like: “What surprised you today?” and “What was challenging?”
Encourage Flexibility … aka BOTO
Encourage Flexibility … aka BOTOTeach your child to Be Open To Outcome.
Let Your Child Try, Struggle and Succeed
Let Your Child Try, Struggle and SucceedGrowth happens just outside the comfort zone.
Be Present
Be Present
Put down the phone. Enjoy the moment.
As Henry David Thoreau wrote:
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
The CCBS Difference
Real Life, Real Growth
At Cherokee Creek Boys School, we believe growth happens in real life – not just in structured environments.
Our mission is to “challenge boys and their families to discover what is real and true about themselves and the world around them.”
Through our CCBS Program and Family Center … Family Treks, Cultural Travel Experience, Therapeutic Support, Experiential Learning … we help families build stronger connections that last far beyond the program.
“I often hear families say, ‘I didn’t think we could ever have a normal family vacation again – but this trip showed me how much we’ve grown and that we can truly have fun together.’
What they discover is that perseverance matters – maybe more than anything. Travel rarely goes perfectly, but learning to make mistakes, adapt and try again is where real growth happens. Along the way, families build a library of challenges they’ve overcome and, just as importantly, a library of positive shared experiences.
Those moments create new ways of communicating and connecting that carry over long after the trip is over.”
– David LePere, CCBS Executive Director
Final Thoughts
A Different Kind of Opportunity
If you’re a parent searching for help for your 10- to 15-year-old son – whether he’s struggling with anxiety, ADHD, autism level 1 or school challenges – know this:
You don’t have to do this alone.
A residential, therapeutic boarding school for boys like CCBS offers:
- Structure
- Support
- Family involvement
- Real-world growth opportunities
And sometimes, that growth happens halfway across the world … over pasta …
in the middle of a conversation that finally feels different.
If you would like to learn more about Cherokee Creek Boys School, please click below:
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