About Us
Our Mission Statement
Off Da Block, is a groundbreaking educational travel program for middle school students to be able to confidently explore the world not only around them but the world unknown to them.
Off Da Block is not just about exploring new places but about unlocking the full potential of middle school students, whom we affectionately call "Globetrotters." We firmly believe in the transformative power of travel in shaping young minds and equipping them with essential life skills for the future.
Our mission at Off Da Block is to cultivate curiosity, fortify social and emotional skills, and enable our Globetrotters to THRIVE, an acronym we've crafted to represent Trust, Honesty, Respect, Integrity, Valuing People, and Effective Communication. Through these core values, we empower our participants to excel in an ever-changing world while fostering a global citizenship mindset.
Our history
Orelia was born and raised on Detroit’s East side. Orelia has always had a passion for travel. As a child, her family owned a motorhome and with her dad at the helm, they would travel every summer to the south with her parents and siblings to visit family. On those trips she was able to see the vast beauty of the US along with experiencing new places.
When she was in 5th grade her family decided to take a trip to Disney World. It would be Orelia’s first time on a plane. Initially, she refused to go due to fear of the plane crashing. Yet, she really didn’t have a choice and she also remembered her mom’s saying, “Don’t be afraid to cross 8 mile”. She went on the trip and had a blast.
Her mom’s saying has stayed with her throughout her life when she was afraid of going outside her comfort zone. With these motivational words always present, Orelia had the courage to move across the country to earn her BA in Orange, CA, study abroad in Scotland, work in our nation’s capital, D.C. for 2 years with AmeriCorps, live and work in China for 5 years, 1 year in India and travel to over 12 countries around the world.
With these experiences Orelia got the chance to to see how others around, not
only the country lived but across the world. Having been exposed to these
experiences changed her perspective on life. These adventures helped her enhance her critical thinking skills, empathy and compassion, confidence, and realize how grateful she was to be able to have a glimpse in the lives of others but also how she wanted to live life on her terms. She realized that life doesn’t have to be only what we know. From there the concept of Off Da Block was born.