JACKSON, Wyo. — Local outdoor adventure and experiential summer camp Wilderness Adventures will be featured All Access with Andy Garcia. In addition to being an actor, Garcia is an advocate for education and social change, and, according to his website, uses storytelling “to explore the stories of innovators, educators, and community leaders who are shaping the future of our society.”
Wilderness Adventures was founded in 1972 by Mike and Helen Cottingham with the intention to connect young people to the outdoors in an experiential education context. In 2016, Tom and Catherine Holland assumed ownership of the organization.
The segment, filmed over the summer and fall of 2025, offers viewers an inside look at Wilderness Adventures’ immersive, screen-free programs and their powerful impact on young people at a time when opportunities to unplug and form meaningful, in-person connections are more important than ever.
All Access with Andy Garcia highlights compelling stories of innovation, leadership, and positive social impact across education, culture, and community life. The Wilderness Adventures feature will focus on how intentional outdoor experiences help youth disconnect from constant digital stimulation and reconnect with themselves, with nature, and with one another.
Through multi-day wilderness expeditions and camp-based programs, Wilderness Adventures creates environments where young people build confidence, resilience, independence, and authentic relationships. The segment captures these experiences in action, showcasing how shared challenge, responsibility, and time away from screens foster growth that extends well beyond the outdoors.
“We’re honored to share the story of Wilderness Adventures with a national audience,” said Tom Holland, President and CEO of Wilderness Adventures. “Our programs are designed to give young people the space to slow down, engage fully with the world around them, and build real connections—something that feels increasingly rare in today’s always-on culture.”
The segment highlights the organization’s commitment to youth development through experiential learning, thoughtful leadership, and community-centered adventure. Viewers will see firsthand how these experiences help young people return home more confident, capable, and connected.
Hosted by Andy Garcia, All Access with Andy Garcia is distributed to public television stations nationwide and is known for its thoughtful storytelling and focus on organizations shaping the future of education, leadership, and community engagement.
As the use of technology has skyrocketed, Tom and Catherine Holland emphasize the importance of unplugging. The segment focuses on the power of separating kids and teens from their screens — namely cell phones and laptops — and how that can result in improved self-confidence, leadership and growth.
“Creating environments where this kind of profound growth can flourish is not an accident,” the narrator of the segment says. “It’s a deliberate design.”
