Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

S5E3: Raising Resilient Kids: Nature Connections, Mental Health, and College Readiness with Mario Mendez of Wilderness Youth Project (WYP)

13 Jan 2026

Audio

Description

If you're ready to take the next step in your admissions journey, visit apply.admittedly.co to register for a free Family Action Call with one of our advisors. Parents worry about grades, test scores, and résumés. But underneath all of that, what really shapes a student who can thrive in competitive academics and in life? In this episode, Thomas Caleel talks with Mario Mendez, Community Accountability Manager and Senior Program Staff at Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) in Santa Barbara, about how nature, unstructured exploration, and real-world challenge help kids build the resilience, awareness, and confidence they need long before they ever apply to college. Mario draws on decades of experience working with young people in South America, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. Together, he and Thomas unpack how nature-based programs can support mental health, reduce stress, and help students develop a stronger sense of self – and why those qualities matter so much in highly selective college admissions. Key Topics & Takeaways Education beyond the classroom Why real education includes social emotional learning, self-awareness, and lived experience, not just what happens in class. Nature as a tool for awareness and belonging How tracking, observation, and time outdoors teach kids to notice their surroundings, read a room, and understand their impact on others. Access, equity, and Bridge to Nature How programs like WYP's Bridge to Nature serve under resourced students, and why nature connection is not just for "outdoorsy" or privileged families. What families can do anywhere Practical ways to build nature connection in cities and suburbs using small routines: a single tree, a window, a daily walk, or attention to seasonal changes. Storytelling, resilience, and admissions How a rich inner life, curiosity, and the ability to tell your own story show up in college essays and in the way students move through school and life. This conversation is especially helpful for parents who see anxiety, burnout, or disconnection in their kids and want something more meaningful than another activity on the schedule. It is also for families thinking about highly selective admissions who recognize that resilience, authenticity, and self-knowledge are just as important as GPA and test scores. Links to Wilderness Youth Project, Mario's recommended resources, and related nature-connection tools: Nature Connection and Outdoor School Directory Learn More About Wilderness Youth Project Read About Stress Busters For more support on building thoughtful, strategic paths to college for your student, visit admittedly.co and follow @admittedlyco on Instagram and TikTok.

Transcription

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.

0 upvotes

🗳️ Sign in to Upvote

Popular episodes get transcribed faster

Other recent transcribed episodes

Transcribed and ready to explore now

3ª PARTE | 17 DIC 2025 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

12:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

13:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

01 Jan 1970

Fin de Semana

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.

Report any issue

Admittedly: College Admissions with Thomas Caleel

S5E3: Raising Resilient Kids: Nature Connections, Mental Health, and College Readiness with Mario Mendez of Wilderness Youth Project (WYP)

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Other recent transcribed episodes

3ª PARTE | 17 DIC 2025 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

13:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

Sign in to Audioscrape

Share this moment