Our Story Stats
10K
The number of teacher-led programs we bring to life every year.
900K
The number of K-12 students that have participated in our career immersion programs.
100+
The number of international universities we partner with to create our exciting study abroad programs.
1964
Middle school social studies teacher Phil Wendel takes his passion for bringing history to life to Washington, D.C. Three years later, inspired by the impactful nature of experiential learning, Phil transitions from teaching to establish Lakeland Tours, an educational travel company.
1990
WorldStrides emerges as the premier accredited organization in its field, uniting with distinguished partners in student travel — American Student Travel, Bowl Games of America, Educational Field Studies, Heritage Festivals, and Wilder Horizons. This groundbreaking alliance enhances educational travel experiences for students.
2000
WorldStrides deepens its educational mission with a renewed dedication to ecological responsibility on each program tour. The organization adds Accent Travel Group, New Century Tours, and TravelMBA to its network. Furthermore, WorldStrides is proud to announce the integration of Casterbridge Tours, NETC, WorldPass, Oxbridge Academic Programs, Rhapsody Tours of Ken, CBL International, Excel International Sports, and International Studies Abroad (ISA). This expansion not only strengthens our presence in the U.K. but also enhances our offerings in study abroad and sports programs.
2016-2024
WorldStrides successfully renews its accreditation as an educational institution with AdvancED, earning commendations for its dedication to transforming student learning experiences. The WorldStrides family grows to include Explorica, Envision, TEAN Abroad, and BrightSpark, enhancing the breadth and depth of its educational offerings with experiential learning and career exploration.
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Our Approach
At WorldStrides, we create unforgettable immersive learning adventures and life-changing moments for students of all ages. Our programs offer students the chance to discover something new about a subject they’re interested in, about the world around them, and about themselves.
K-12 students participating in an adventure organized by their teacher or coach are actively engaged in the learning process through our trademarked educational philosophy: LEAP—Learning through Exploration and Active Participation. LEAP activities provide students with hands-on learning opportunities like learning how to cook local cuisine or taking a folk dancing lesson.
K-12 students can also explore their passions as part of our career exploration programs. These multi-day immersive experiences introduce students to a variety of potential career paths in their field of interest, whether that’s medicine, engineering, government, leadership, or veterinary science. Students work alongside similarly passionate peers from around the country to tackle challenges, gain new skills, and apply their knowledge.
Post-secondary students turn the world into their classroom as part of our higher education study abroad programs. Students can spend weeks, semesters, and even full academic years immersed in a new culture, taking classes at one of our partner universities or completing an internship.