What is it? A travel-based education program for children aged 12–14 years, that currently spans three different international destinations – Japan, Spain and Italy – and combines learning and adventure.
How does it work? A hybrid model blending half-day online academics, with half-day project-based, place-based learning in each destination. Students learn math, English, science online, then learn through hands-on projects rooted in the local culture and environment.
Why is it unique? The Trailblazer Program provides a holistic learning experience that goes beyond traditional schooling – children gain core academic skills and real-world skills. The program fosters global citizenship, as children learn to navigate new places, form friendships, and engage with diverse communities.
Who is it for? Designed for families seeking a way to travel and work remotely without sacrificing educational quality. Students join a 3–month cohort of peers and dedicated educators.
What Exactly is the Trailblazer Program
The Trailblazer Program is a transformative travel-and-learn experience offered by Boundless Life, specifically designed for older children aged 12–14 and their families.
It allows students to embark on a 3–month cohort in a single destination, or full academic year of growth while traveling to three different countries. Unlike traditional schooling, the Trailblazers program combines structured academics (through our accredited provider, Crimson or families' choice of curriculum) with place-based, hands-on projects in culturally rich destinations.
Students not only gain strong core academic skills, but they also explore new cultures, build lasting friendships, and develop critical life skills that prepare them for a global future.
In practical terms, families enrolled in Trailblazers spend three months in each destination, with an option to move together as a group from one country to the next as the year progresses.
For example, one recent Trailblazer cohort spent the fall in Syros, Greece, the winter in La Barra, Uruguay, and the spring in Andalusia, Spain, collectively completing a 9-month journey across three continents.
During these stays, the children attend a Boundless Life Education Center together, following the Trailblazer Program, while parents live and work in the same community.
Who Is It For
The Trailblazer Program is ideal for families who want to slow-travel and maintain stability for their child's education. It’s geared towards middle-school aged children of 12–14 years old.
Often, these are families who might describe themselves as digital nomads, worldschoolers, or simply adventurous souls looking for an alternative to staying put.
As one Trailblazer parent put it –
“We chose to join Boundless Life because we saw it as an opportunity to spend more time with our kids while they’re still kids, to have richer experiences with them and to expand their world view – and ours.” – The Quanz Family
The program offers a solution for parents who want to travel the world with their children without interrupting their education, and for kids who crave a more dynamic, globally-engaged learning environment.
Trailblazer families tend to commit to the full school year so that the children have a consistent peer group. Limited slots do exist for those who can only join for a single 3-month cohort, but priority is given to full-year enrollments because continuity is the key.
How the Learning Works
At the heart of the Trailblazer Program is a balanced hybrid learning model that marries rigorous academics with experiential learning. Each weekday is typically split into two parts:
Morning Boundless Discovery (Project-Based Projects)
Trailblazer students spend part of their day learning in what Boundless Life calls “Boundless Discovery” – essentially project-based and place-based learning (Quests) that takes advantage of the unique setting they’re in, alongside SEL sessions and Boundless Time.
Instead of traditional school assignments, students engage in hands-on projects, field trips, and local adventures under the guidance of Boundless educators. This means they are developing the real-world, future-ready skills, that are typical for students learning in a global setting and communicating in the local language.
SEL time creates space for peer connection, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and daily planning, while Boundless Time allows students to pursue self-directed projects, set meaningful goals, adapt when things don’t go as planned, and build resilience with the support of a mentor.
For example, a cohort might work on a civic engagement project while in Greece, study a marine ecosystem firsthand while in Bali, or plan a sustainable city layout inspired by their stay in Spain. Upon completion and submission of their Quest projects, Trailblazer students are also awarded 0.5 Social Credits through our academic partner, Crimson Global Academy. These projects are designed to connect academic concepts to real life.
One currently enrolled family shared this –
“A lot of the pieces that really intrigued us [about Trailblazers] is the place-based learning… at each location, they’re doing a place-based project that takes them out into the community to interview local businesses and understand how they operate”. – The Quanz Family
In these ways, the local environment becomes the classroom. Children aren’t just reading about economics or ecology or history – they’re experiencing it on the ground, whether it’s learning about marine conservation by planting mangroves in Bali, or practicing Spanish by chatting with shop owners in Uruguay.
Afternoon Academic Studio (Online Academics)
The other half of the day is devoted to the Academic Studio, focusing on core subjects like math, English, and science through online classes. Boundless Life has partnered with Crimson Global Academy (CGA) – a leading accredited online school – to power this academic component.
Students join live small-group classes with only other Trailblazer students, each delivered for 2 hours per subject per week by expert CGA teachers. Which means each child continues with a world-class curriculum and can earn official academic credits, all while traveling.
Each student’s level is determined through a diagnostic test, ensuring placement that matches their learning needs and goals. Upon completing one Boundless cohort, students earn 0.5 academic credit per core subjects (Math, English, Science) through CGA.
In addition, at each Boundless location, there is a dedicated on-site Learning Coach (a Boundless educator) who supervises and supports students during these study sessions. The coach helps children stay on track, manages their schedules, and is there to reinforce concepts or assist if any issues arise – essentially bridging the gap between the online teachers and the physical classroom.
Parents can also stay involved by monitoring their child’s progress through Crimson’s parent portal, which provides transparency into coursework, grades, and schedules.
Families following their own curriculum can still use the Academic Studio with educator support. While we recommend Crimson for its structure and quality, a tuition discount is available for those who opt out.
Benefits of This Hybrid Approach
A hybrid approach of – online academics + experiential projects – gives Trailblazer students the best of both worlds. They retain a structured, high-quality academic education and they get to dive into creative, project-based learning that makes the most of each destination.
- The Academics Studio secures strong subject foundations.
- Boundless Discovery provides the space where students apply curiosity, creativity, and leadership in real-world contexts.
The result is an education that “travels well” – knowledge is reinforced by experience, and students see firsthand why their studies matter.
(Note: While Boundless recommends the Crimson online curriculum for its quality and integration, the program is somewhat flexible – if a family has a specific curriculum they must follow from home, they can opt out of CGA and bring their own preferred curriculum.)
Global Community and Connection
One distinctive aspect of Trailblazers is the cohort becomes a tight-knit community on the move. Students and parents alike form deep bonds through the shared experience of relocating and learning together.
Students quickly become close friends – they are exploring strange new places side by side, which naturally brings them together.
“This program wasn't just about traveling or the adventure. It was about growing together as a family, as individuals, and as a group.” - The Global Wizards
Over the nine months, the cohort celebrates milestones together (birthdays, holidays in foreign countries), tackles challenges as a team, and often develop their own fun traditions. By the end of the program, many families report that their Trailblazer cohort feels “like family”.
Furthermore, living and learning in a cohort teaches conflict resolution and empathy in a very organic way – these students aren’t just classmates from 8am-3pm, they are neighbors and travel companions after school too.
Another parent noted how independent and socially savvy the kids became in just a few months: in Greece, the 13-year-olds were safely exploring the town square together after class, grabbing gelato and organizing meet-ups – activities they’d never have attempted back home.
“They're tackling challenges that I don't think we got back at home – such as problem solving, resilience, being able to navigate in a new place where they don't speak the language. It seems like good social, emotional growth, some of the soft skills that don't necessarily get taught at home.” – Kelly Parker
Personal Growth Beyond the Classroom
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Trailblazer Program is the personal growth it inspires in both students and families. Academics and travel are just the vehicles; the real journey is in the children's development into curious, confident, and compassionate young people.
Over the course of nine months, Trailblazer students often undergo a remarkable transformation –
- They learn to adapt quickly to new environments, becoming comfortable with the kind of change and uncertainty that would faze many adults.
- They practice leadership – whether it’s leading a group project or simply helping a classmate figure out a problem.
- They develop the ability to see the world through different lenses, to understand traditions unlike their own, and to make friends across language barriers.
Trailblazer parents consistently report boosts in their child’s confidence and independence. For example, one father shared how his shy daughter “came out of her shell” during the cohort’s time in Syros, Greece.
“A couple of months ago at home, she wouldn’t even order for herself at a food truck – she’d whisper for me to do it. Here, she’s out and about going to dinner with her friends... It’s been incredible to see how she’s gotten comfortable being out in the world and being herself”. – Clarke Family
Stories like this are commonly shared. Children who were shy become more outgoing, children who were dependent on parents become more self-reliant, and children who might have been disengaged in traditional school find a new spark for learning.
The real-world context makes learning meaningful, and the supportive cohort means everyone is cheering each other on and this creates the most positive of learning environments.
In the Trailblazer Program, education is not just about absorbing facts, but about becoming a well-rounded individual. “Trailblazers gain more than academic knowledge — they develop essential life skills,” says Rekha Magon, Boundless Life’s Head of Education.
How This Impacts the Parents
And let’s not forget, the parents grow too! Trailblazer families form a parallel support network among the adults. Parents travel together, connect together, and watch each other’s children grow.
During school hours, parents can take advantage of Boundless Life’s coworking spaces to continue their own remote work or passion projects. In the afternoons and weekends, families explore their host country together or join community events arranged by Boundless.
“With Boundless you’ve got the classroom at each location for your kids and there’s a lot of community events and activities for the parents or as a family. It really has the built-in classroom space and the community aspect all tied together.” – The Quanz Family
In many ways, the Trailblazer Program is as much a lifestyle program as it is an educational one – it’s about families living, learning, and experiencing life together in an international setting.
Trailblazer Resources and Next Steps
If you’re curious about what day-to-day life is like in the Trailblazer Program, an excellent resource is the Boundless Life blog series by Trailblazer mom Heleen Van Assche (from the Global Wizards). Over the course of nine blog posts, Heleen documented her family’s experience during the 2024–2025 Trailblazer cohort.
In her series, she shares monthly updates from each location – from surfing and science projects in Bali, to cultural immersion in Greece, to adventures in Montenegro. The final installment, titled “9 Months, 3 Countries: One Family’s Trailblazer Experience,” is a wonderful wrap-up reflecting on how the year transformed them. Spoiler: she calls it “life-changing…hard to put into words how much this journey has meant”.
Ready to learn more or considering the Trailblazer path for your family?
Boundless Life offers informational webinars and personalized consultations to answer any questions. You can also visit the official Trailblazer Program page on the Boundless Life website for detailed FAQs, pricing, and the latest updates on upcoming cohorts.
Join a Trailblazer Cohort and watch your children cultivate curiosity, discover the world, and ignite change – all while keeping up with school.
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