Thursday, October 1, 2026
Tim White, a lifelong Baldwin resident, a Baldwin High School graduate and now a student at UCLA, has been chosen to participate in a highly selective competition in Switzerland. Below, White writes about his upcoming experience.
“Hello Baldwin. I have some amazing news! I am one of 18 people from around the world who have been selected to attend a ‘selection camp’ in Switzerland for an upcoming expedition to the Amazon Rainforest. This incredible opportunity is just one of many opportunities provided by the Young Explorers Program, which was founded by the legendary explorer Mike Horn and is being sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, Geberit, Officine Panerai and others. Horn is renowned for his environmental work and personal feats, including a solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle. Through this program, he aims to instill his environmentalism and respect for nature in the next generation by bringing young people into the world’s most remote areas and helping to fuel their environmental aspirations.
“At the end of January, I will head to Switzerland for two weeks (all expenses paid), where I will take part in a series of physical and mental challenges that will ultimately determine which eight candidates will take part in a fully sponsored, month-long expedition through the Amazon. The selection camp concludes with a grueling 25-mile race up a mountain. I can thank Baldwin Sports for instilling in me the love of physical activity that helped me get selected — I played lacrosse and wrestled for BHS for four years prior to coming to UCLA, where I am now the captain of the lacrosse team. I have also had several outdoors/environmental experiences to prepare me — I recently spent four months working as a scuba diver in Alaska, and spent several months living on a tropical island studying coral reefs. I am also a lifelong surfer. But despite my credentials I still expect this competition to be my toughest challenge yet!
“If you are aged 15-20 with an interest in physical challenges or the environment, head to MikeHorn.com to learn more about how you can join the next expedition. I hear the destination is East Africa!
“Baldwin, wish me luck in my upcoming adventure. I hope to write soon about winning a spot on the tour of the Amazon.”
Tim White
