The Wander School Assembly Program.
A journey that captivates, motivates, inspires, empowers, and educates your students!
Join me as my journey, Wander: A Memoir of Letting go and Walking 2,000 Miles to a Meaningful Life, becomes a source of inspiration for today’s youth. Through captivating stories, breathtaking photos, and meaningful lessons, we’ll go on a journey of overcoming mental health challenges, self-discovery and personal growth. My assemblies are tailored to different age groups, ensuring that each audience receives a message that resonates with them.
OVER THE LAST 7 YEARS OF DELIVERING MOTIVATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, I’VE INFLUENCED THOUSANDS OF LIVE AUDIENCE MEMBERS USING MY TRAIL STORIES TO TEACH MINDFULNESS PRINCIPLES.
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Youth mental health is more prevalent today than ever before, but I believe every child is just one story away from finding hope and the courage to follow their heart. That’s the power of storytelling, and why I’m so deeply committed to sharing my journey to open young hearts and minds to the transformative power of mindfulness, nature, and charting a personal course.
The personal development strategies I share aren't just ideas thought up by some random guy who decided to go on a months-long hike growing a rather unappealing beard; every principle and concept I teach are research-backed mental health strategies. Beyond my personal experiences, I hold certifications as a Mindfulness Teacher, Nature & Forest Therapy Guide (forest bathing), Yoga Instructor, and Life Coach.
My speaking approach instantly engages students. It's not a traditional lecture but a practical and positive message delivered with sincerity and humor.
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Mental Health, Personal Development & Self-Discovery, Mindfulness and Nature Connection, Resilience, Empathy and Compassion, Hope & Inspiration
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Grade K-12 Students, College Students (tailored for various age groups leveraging my diverse certifications and personal experiences to make a meaningful impact)
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Schools, Youth Camps, Youth Conferences and Summits, Youth Retreats, Youth Leadership Programs, Youth Groups, Libraries, Mentorship Programs, Sports Teams or Clubs
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While New Jersey is my base camp, I’ve spoken for youth audiences across the entire US—from NJ all the way to Washington State. Additional travel fees and expenses are incurred outside of NJ and Eastern PA.
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Wander: Mindful Lessons from an Appalachian Trail Thru-hiker
Get ready for an inspiring journey with Ryan Benz, the author of Wander: A Memoir of Letting go and Walking 2,000 Miles to a Meaningful Life. Ryan embarked on an epic adventure of walking over 2,000 miles, discovering profound lessons about courage, gratitude, and kindness. Now, he’s here to share those lessons with you.
What We’ll Do:
Together, we'll virtually walk over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, exploring the themes of adventure, self-discovery, and what it means to follow your heart, drawing on valuable life lessons around courage, resilience, empathy and compassion. The trail stories are simply the attention-getter for the more important life lessons. We’ll explore how mindfulness becomes the gateway to:
Courage: Students will learn the importance of following their heart, facing their fears and exploring beyond their comfort zone.
Gratitude: Students will discover the power of gratitude and how appreciating the small things can transform their life.
Kindness: Students will learn about the importance of self-compassion and how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world.
Why It’s Awesome:
Amazing Photos and Videos: Ryan shares incredible photos and videos from his adventure, making students feel like they are right there with him.
Stories and Fun: Hear stories from Ryan’s journey that will inspire and entertain.
Inspiring Lessons: Learn important life lessons in a way that’s unique and memorable.
Join Ryan in this extraordinary adventure to help your students discover how they can make meaningful changes in their life every day!
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Explore, Learn, and Grow: A Fun Adventure Along the Appalachian Trail!
Get ready for an exciting journey with Ryan Benz, the author of Wander: A Memoir of Letting go and Walking 2,000 Miles to a Meaningful Life. Ryan embarked on a remarkable adventure of walking over 2,000 miles, discovering profound lessons about courage, gratitude, and kindness. Now, he’s here to share those lessons with you.
What We’ll Do:
Virtually travel the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. He talks about the hike itself—what it was like to be stuck in the rain for days, and coming face-to-face with rattlesnakes, bears, and even wild ponies! But he does something more important—inviting students to navigate the path with him, taking advantage of the healing powers of nature, and using mindfulness to find the resilience to overcome life’s challenges, both on and off the trail.
He shares how mindfulness helps us to:
Be Courageous: Students will learn how to follow their heart, face their fears and embrace new challenges.
Be Grateful: Students will discover the power of gratitude and how appreciating the small things can transform their life.
Be Kind: Students will find out how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in the world.
Why It’s Awesome:
Amazing Photos and Videos: Ryan shares incredible photos and videos from his adventure, making students feel like they are right there with him.
Stories and Fun: Hear exciting stories from Ryan’s journey that will inspire and entertain.
Inspiring Lessons: Learn important life lessons in a way that’s easy to understand, unique and super fun.
Join Ryan in this fun, inspiring, and engaging adventure, one that aligns with today’s social and emotional learning goals and objectives, helping your students discover how they can make meaningful changes in their life every day!
Client Testimonial Spotlight
“From the minute the students laid their eyes on Ryan’s well-worn hiking boots and small pop-up tent, they were curious. After Ryan began to tell his inspirational story of personal enlightenment and road to well-being, their curiosity quickly turned to full engagement. The content, organization, and delivery were of substance, and Ryan guided the students through his reflective 2,000-mile journey to positive mental health in a very meaningful way. The students had opportunities to explore ways to overcome self-imposed limitations to happiness via conversation, questions, the impact of nature, and effective meditative practices. Everyone truly left Ryan’s presentation understanding and embracing the motto of HYOH—Hike Your Own Hike.”
— Director, NJ4S Atlantic & Cape May County (Acenda Integrated Health)
“Ryan is changing lives. In our hurried, technology laden world, he gave us a reason to pause and think, presenting in a fun, engaging, and informative way.”
— Teacher, Wildwood City School District, NJ
“After a masterfully done presentation, I was left inspired and incredibly motivated.”
— High School Student, Oratory Prep, NJ
“Ryan is an engaging, heartfelt presenter. His enthusiasm was contagious. He has practical, lifelong lessons for students which are presented in a clear, concise manner. His pictures and videos were remarkable, as his unique perspective on life!”
— Counselor, Frankford Township School District, NJ
“I’ve been teaching for over 30 years and this was the best assembly I’ve ever seen.”
— Teacher, Jefferson Township School District, NJ
“Ryan spoke to our 5th and 6th graders, getting ready to transition to Middle School. As a school counselor, I embrace the benefits and alchemy of students learning experientially. This assembly exceeded my expectations and brought goosebumps, tears and inspiration to students, staff and parents. Ryan was able to engage the students and send them with a message in Mindfulness. In this technology driven era, this type of learning experience is invaluable.”
— School Counselor, West Cape May Elementary, NJ
Join the many schools and organizations who have taken the journey with me…
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"Ryan was awesome. He had our middle schoolers engaged as well as staff. His inspiration to be mindful with our pre teen/teen population will go a long way. Students were in awe with his story and even came up after the presentation to shake his hand and thank him for sharing his story with us, which speaks volumes within itself!"
— Program Manager, SBYSP Wallace Middle School, Inspira Health Vineland School-Based Youth Services Program
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"Our students were very fortunate to hear about Ryan's inspiring story of walking the entire Appalachian Trail. He was a true pleasure to work with."
— Oratory Preparatory School
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“RYAN MADE OUR STUDENTS THINK ABOUT GETTING OFF SOCIAL MEDIA, BEING KIND AND ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS. HIS MESSAGE IS SORELY NEEDED IN TODAY’S WORLD AND IT WAS DELIVERED IN A MOTIVATING AND ENJOYABLE MANNER.”
— Dennis Township Public Schools, NJ
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“MY STUDENTS HAVE A NEW-FOUND APPRECIATION FOR NATURE. MANY SEEMED TO APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MOVING AWAY FROM THE SCREEN AND GETTING OUTSIDE.”
— Sussex Charter School, NJ
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“THIS PRESENTATION WAS INCREDIBLE AND I WAS INSPIRED BY YOUR STORY. THE STUDENTS WERE INTERESTED AND ENGAGED AND TOOK AWAY MANY GREAT MESSAGES ABOUT MINDFULNESS.”
— Stanwood-Camano School District, WA
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“Ryan is an engaging, heartfelt presenter. His enthusiasm was contagious. He has practical, lifelong lessons for students which are presented in a clear, concise manner. His pictures and videos were remarkable, as his unique perspective on life!”
— Frankford Township School District, NJ
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“RYAN IS CHANGING LIVES. IN OUR HURRIED, TECHNOLOGY LADEN WORLD, HE GAVE US A REASON TO PAUSE AND THINK, PRESENTING IN A FUN, ENGAGING, AND INFORMATIVE WAY.”
— Wildwood City School District, NJ
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“I’VE BEEN TEACHING FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND THIS WAS THE BEST ASSEMBLY I’VE EVER SEEN.”
— Jefferson Township School District, NJ
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“I HOPE THIS MESSAGE REACHES EVERY CHILD EVERYWHERE!”
— Denville Township School District, NJ
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“I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS PRESENTATION! IT WAS RELEVANT, ENGAGING, ENCOURAGING AND ENTERTAINING! ALL SCHOOLS SHOULD LISTEN TO THE MESSAGE AND TAKE THIS PHENOMENAL JOURNEY WITH RYAN!”
— Old Bridge Township School District, NJ
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“RYAN’S PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM WAS EVIDENT THROUGHOUT THIS AMAZING PRESENTATION. ANY STUDENT OF ANY AGE WOULD BE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE IN HIS AUDIENCE.”
— Wildwood City School District, NJ
Let’s make your next
event a memorable one!
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