Ropes

The Challenge Ropes Course Experiential Team Building

Team Torsion is a team of 90 eighth grade students. We are building a ropes challenge course on the Billinghurst campus. This project will require considerable community and financial support in order to be successful. We are seeking individual, family, company, or corporation sponsorships. If you have expertise, information, or advice for us please contact John Jenkins or Amber Netz through our e-mail link at the bottom of this page.

During the 1998-1999 school year, approximately 100 students from Billinghurst Middle School had the opportunity to participate in the Project Adventure ropes course at Lake Tahoe. Our lives changed after participating in the course. We learned that we could do things we never thought we could do. We learned to trust others in a way we had not experienced before. As one student put it, "It made me feel big inside, like I could do anything." The impact of our ropes course has prompted us to build and maintain a ropes course on the Billinghurst campus.

Objectives of the Project

Build a ropes course that can be used by Billinghurst students and staff, as well as youths and teachers from other middle schools in Washoe County

Train teachers and counselors to be Project Adventure certified facilitators to run the course activities and create an environment for learning for middle school students

Create the vision of Adventure at Billinghurst Middle Schoolthat will encourage all students to take risks in the following areas.

Aquire problem solving skills as a part of a team
Self motivated learning
Discover the potential for a lifelong learning adventure

Project Adventure programming utilizes the Challenge Ropes Course as a tool - a catalyst for personal and educational growth. They list as their goals:

To increase personal confidence
To increase mutual support within a group
To develop an increased joy in one's physical self and in being with others
To develop an increased familiarity and identification with the natural world

Ropes Elements
A ropes challenge course typically consists of both "low" and "high" elements. Below we offer descriptions of some the elements Team Torsion and others have experienced.
Low Elements
Spider Web

T.P. Shuffle

Mohawk Walk

Wild Woosey

All Aboard

Tire Traverse

High Elements
The Wall

Catwalk

Heebie Jeebie

For more information mail us at John & Amber.

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