Ten Years Strong: Honoring Our Journey and 2025 Achievements
- mikayla7123
- Dec 19, 2025
- 4 min read
2025 marked a huge milestone for Navigation Games. This year, we celebrated our 10th Anniversary of being an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. But our work goes much farther back than that. Barb Bryant, the President and founder of Navigation Games, has been bringing orienteering to schools and youth in and around the Greater Boston area for more than 20 years. Our year end review signals how far we have come as an organization, expanding our reach year after year, and bringing orienteering to new faces and spaces.
For a more in depth look at all we have accomplished this year, be sure to check out our 2025 End Of Year Newsletter
2025 highlights:
We have so much to be proud of this year. Our team of staff and volunteers has been working tirelessly to share our work with students, educators, camps and communities throughout the year, and all over the country. Check out some of our yearly totals below to see what we have been up to.
(Newly Updated) 478 orienteering classes and events for more than 13,248 participants.
13 new schools experienced orienteering in classes (pre-K - 12).
19 workshops for educators in 14 states (AL, CA, ID, MA, MT, NC, NE, NH, OH, PA, VA, VT, WA, WI, and online).
62 maps used. 16 new maps made.
127 volunteers donated nearly 3,500 hours, virtually and in-person
Photos 1 and 2 - Children from our Cambridge Public School 3rd Grade Jamborees gather and explore at Danehy Park. Photo 3 - participant finds animals using a clue strip on the Charles River Esplanade.
Program Spotlight: Paul Revere NRE
We held our first Orienteering USA (OUSA) sanctioned National Ranking Event (NRE) this summer on August 30 in Boston. The course passed close to the Old North Church, crossed the water near where Paul Revere rowed over to Charlestown on the night of April 18th, 1775, and visited the newly developed Cambridge Crossing, so we named the event “Revere’s Crossing.” The route started at Boston’s historic Long Wharf, skirted the North End along the waterfront district, visited Cambridge Sports Union’s North Point Park map, and challenged orienteers with some multi-level map interpretation. We had 28 people join us on 3 courses (long, middle, short) on one gorgeous Saturday morning. A host of volunteers helped us with this event, a test run for when we hosted the U.S. Championships in fall (read more about that event in the newsletter).
Competitors run their courses along Boston's waterfront during the Revere's Crossing NRE
Contribute to Navigation Games today, and in 2026
Community is what got us started as an organization, and community is what sustains us. Our work empowering youth to find their way is only possible through creative community collaborations, our hard-working and dedicated volunteers, and financial contributions from our incredible supporters.
This year, we are asking each of you to give what you can to help support our mission to bring orienteering to all. You can give through community contacts and project collaborations (hook us up with your school, camp, favorite conservation organization etc.), in-person or virtual volunteer support, or a donation.
Financial contributions are used to subsidize programming to schools, out-of-school youth programming providers and to provide materials and equipment to allow educators to deliver programming themselves. Choose the level of support you want to bring to a youth-group:
$50 → Maps for a class activity
$250 → A starter teaching kit + training for an educator
$350 → A school receives a custom orienteering map (with OUSA grant match!)
$750 → A full professional development workshop for an entire PE department
$1,500 (5 donors x $300) → A complete program for one elementary school
✔️ Teacher training
✔️ Demonstration teaching day
✔️ Maps, lesson plans & materials
✔️ Ongoing consultation
A generous donor is matching all gifts through December 31! Give now and your contribution goes 2× as far for our educators and our students.
Here’s how to donate:
Online - Via www.navigationgames.org
Venmo /PayPal (@NavigationGames)
Send a check: “Navigation Games Inc.”, 116 Henry St, Cambridge, MA 02139.
We are eligible to receive donations from your donor advised fund (DAF): Navigation Games Inc. - EIN: 47-3952861
Many employers will match your donation. Please request that match when you give!
Orienteering in every season! Participants from some of our 2025 programs, workshops and events!
Sneak Peek at 2026
In 2026, we look forward to continuing our popular public programs like Leprechaun-O in March, Vampire-O in the fall, and this year, we are excited to be adding a summer event to the lineup in a beloved location (stay tuned)!
We are also looking forward to…
More programming on the Boston Harbor Islands
Webinars, in-person, and online trainings for summer camp leaders and youth educators
Community building social events
New partnerships and maps
Keep an eye on your inbox, make sure you are signed up for our email list (at the bottom of our home page), and check in on our events page regularly to make sure you don’t miss a thing!
P.S. Follow us on our Instagram and Facebook pages for even more content and fast, up to date info on upcoming events!
About Navigation Games
Navigation Games is a non-profit with the mission to partner with schools and youth programs to develop, share, and deliver map-based, outdoor experiential education for students of all abilities. We promote active learning through orienteering, helping children develop navigation skills, life skills, and a connection to nature.
Contact us: 🌐 www.navigationgames.org ✉️ admin@navigationgames.org
Comments